Ryan pondering next start for Book’em Danno
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Book’em Danno, the Grade 1-winning New Jersey-bred sprinter, was entered Saturday for next Friday’s $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town, but will be cross-entered Sunday in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga, trainer Derek Ryan said.
Book’em Danno, winner of the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Saratoga on June 8, drew post 2 in a field of 10, plus two also-eligibles for the Hilton, a race run at seven furlongs and around two turns. The Jerkens could draw as many as 12 horses when entries close and post positions are assigned on Sunday.
“He’s a gelding, I got to pick the best spot possible,” Ryan said Saturday. “I got a whole week to stew on it. I got a whole week to handicap and pick our spot.”
Ryan said he would decide by Wednesday in which race to run because that’s when he plans on shipping the horse from is Monmouth Park base.
Book’em Danno, a gelding by Bucchero, has six wins and two seconds from eight starts. He won the Grade 1 Woody Stephens three months after he was beaten a head by Forever Young in the $1.5 million Saudi Derby. Forever Young came back to run third, beaten two noses in the Kentucky Derby.
Following the Woody Stephens, Book’em Danno won the $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes by a nose over Little Ni, a horse who has since been sold and transferred to trainer Mark Casse. Little Ni is expected to run in the Jerkens.
Others expected for the seven-furlong Jerkens include Domestic Product, Jefferson Street, Otto the Conqueror, Prince of Monaco, Reynolds Channel, Speak Easy, Timberlake, Vettriano, and World Record.
Bentornato, third in the Saudi Derby in his most recent start, has been mentioned as a possible starter for the Jerkens, but was entered in the Robert Hilton. Among the leading contenders in the Hilton are Laz Barrera Stakes winner Tapalo, multiple stakes winner Valentine Candy, and restricted stakes winners Grand Opening an Jubawithatwist.
On Saturday, at Monmouth, Book’em Danno worked a half-mile in 48 seconds out of the gate. In the Woody Stephens, Book’em Danno was nine lengths off the early pace.
“You got let him break and run his own races. I figured I’d pop him out of the gate and get a good blow,” Ryan said. “If I go to Charles Town, I might want to put a little gate speed back into him.”
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