SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Derek Ryan said he’d be retired and in Saudi Arabia right now were it not for his multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter Book’em Danno. Instead, Ryan was back at Saratoga on Saturday with the star of his stable, who added another graded stakes victory to his already imposing resumé after registering a 1 1/4-length victory over Mullikin in the $400,000 True North.
The 6 1/2-furlong True North was the well-traveled Book ‘em Danno’s third start at Saratoga, the 4-year-old son of Bucchero having come here a year earlier to win the Grade 1 Woody Stephens and finish third in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes. He entered the race off a gallant, albeit frustrating, fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Sprint when beaten just a neck by Mindframe after making the lead between calls at mid-stretch.
As was the case five weeks earlier at Churchill Downs, the track was sealed and sloppy at post time for the True North. And as was the case on that day in May, Book’em Danno raced in perfect striking position just off the early pace set by Concrete Glory and prompted by Mullikin from the outset.
Mullikin, who succumbed grudgingly to finish fifth in the Churchill Downs Sprint, readily wrested control midway on the turn and briefly edged clear when put to vigorous urging by Prat entering the stretch. But Book’em Danno and Lopez would not be denied, ultimately wearing down the leader inside the sixteenth pole to win going away. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Crazy Mason, who lagged well behind the leaders during the early going before rallying belatedly to finish third while never threatening the top pair.
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Nakatomi, who went postward a narrow 2-1 favorite over Book’em Danno, broke poorly after tossing his head at the break before recovering to race within three lengths of the leaders down the backstretch. Winner of the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap here last summer, Nakatomi angled wide into the stretch before flattening out through the final quarter-mile to finish a disappointing fifth. It was his first start since finishing a narrowly beaten second in the Dubai Golden Shaheen two months earlier at Meydan.
Owned by Atlantic Six Racing LLC, Book’em Danno (102 Beyer Speed Figure) completed the distance over the wet footing in 1:14.64 seconds and returned $6.60.
“He had a little bad luck in two of his recent races. He got beat a head and a neck, but I wasn’t really afraid of anybody in this field today, and Paco gave him a great ride” said Ryan. “He loves to be on the outside. I’ve been preaching that for the last year, and I finally got someone who would do it for me. Paco’s riding like a demon right now.”
After his performance at Churchill Downs in his previous start, Ryan was not the least bit concerned by the track condition for the True North.
“He’ll run anywhere, I think he’s run at 10 different racetracks in his 14 starts, and he’ll run over anything,” said Ryan of Book'em Danno, who's actually run at seven different tracks. “They say good horses, they’ll run on a tin roof. And he’s just a really good racehorse.”
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