Ryan nearing decision on Book'em Danno's next start

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Book’em Danno, the leading male sprinter in the country, returned to the work tab on Thursday, going an easy half-mile in 50 seconds at Monmouth Park, but trainer Derek Ryan said no decision has been made on where the New Jersey-bred gelding will make his next start.

“We haven’t really figured it out, probably in another week or two,” Ryan said.

Ryan indicated that races on Sept. 27, such as the Grade 3, $200,000 Vosburgh at Aqueduct and the Grade 3, $400,000 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs come back too soon. Ryan said the three stakes Book’em Danno won at Saratoga – the Grade 3 True North in June, Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt in July, and the Grade 1 Forego in August – were hard races. Book’em Danno is 4 for 5 this year with a neck defeat to Mindframe in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs in May.

Ryan did reiterate that Book’em Danno would only race once more this year and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar “is not off the table,” he said.

“The only thing with the Breeders’ Cup is it’s good timing,” Ryan said, referring to the 10 weeks between starts.

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While currently based at Monmouth, Book’em Danno will move to Belmont Park by the beginning of October to continue his training. Ryan said the Cigar Mile on Dec. 6 is not being considered as “we’ll done by December,” he said.

Ryan said Book’em Danno would spend about a month on a farm in Ocala, Fla. before he begins his 5-year-old campaign in 2026.

If Ryan ran Book’em Danno in New York this fall, races like the Bold Ruler at six furlongs or the Forty Niner at mile would be the options. However, both races are Grade 3, $175,000 events and both are run on Nov. 2.

Lopez fined for Forego ride

Jockey Paco Lopez was fined $1,000 and suspended three New York Racing Association racing days for his ride on Book’em Danno in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 23, according to a ruling posted Thursday on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority website.

The penalty was assessed for Lopez raising the crop above his helmet in the Forego, a race he won by one length over Scotland. Since Lopez had been cited for this violation on at least three other occasions at Parx between Sept. 4 and Oct. 2, the penalty was harsher than it normally would have been.

Lopez, who entering Friday led all North American-based jockeys in wins with 285, will serve the days on Sept. 21, 25, and 26.

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