Book'em Danno will run in Jerkens, not at Charles Town
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A better post and the prestige of Saratoga won out over perhaps an easier spot in Charles Town for trainer Derek Ryan, who on Wednesday confirmed that Book’em Danno would run in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens.
Book’em Danno, a 3-year-old New Jersey-bred gelding by Bucchero, also was entered in Friday night’s $500,000 Robert Hilton Stakes at Charles Town, where he most likely would have been an odds-on favorite. Both races are at seven furlongs.
Book’em Danno drew post 2 in the Robert Hilton, a contest around two turns. Book’em Danno drew post 8 in a field of 11 for the one-turn Jerkens.
“I got a great post in Saratoga, he can watch what everybody else is doing, he won over the track, I was always aiming that way myself,” Ryan said Wednesday. “I don’t like the post at Charles Town, night racing, two turns, it’s something he’s never done before.”
With Irad Ortiz Jr. committed to ride Speak Easy in the Jerkens, Javier Castellano has the mount on Book’em Danno in the Jerkens.
Ryan noted that the last time he won a graded stakes with a horse not named Book’em Danno was in 2015 when Irish Jasper took the Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont Park. Ryan noted that a rider took off his horse that day and Castellano picked up the mount. Castellano is 10 for 40 on Ryan-trained horses.
“I’ve had a lot of luck with Javier. He worked the horse for me last fall, so he knows him,” Ryan said.
Book’em Danno is coming off a narrow victory over Little Ni in the Jersey Shore Stakes on July 19 at Monmouth Park.
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