Book’em Danno To Skip Godolphin Mile in Dubai

As impressive as Book'em Danno's seasonal debut was March 14, and as eager as his connections are to prove his talent on a world stage, the $1-million Godolphin Mile (G2) April 5 in Dubai has been ruled out for his next start, trainer Derek Ryan revealed March 16. "We're staying stateside. It (the Godolphin Mile) is a little too quick, so we'll wait a ways to see where he goes next," said Ryan, who spent most of Sunday with Book'em Danno in Ocala as he unwinds from his convincing victory in the $150,000, seven-furlong Boston Handicap at Colonial Downs. "It's a long summer and if we went to (Dubai) we'd probably miss a lot of other races. "You have to do what's right by the horse," Ryan said of last season's Pasco Stakes winner at Tampa Bay Downs. "There are six owners (the partners in Atlantic Six Racing) who want to enjoy him, and there are plenty of races for him—Keeneland, Churchill Downs. Maybe Monmouth Park or Saratoga." The 4-year-old New Jersey-bred gelding, whose final start as a 3-year-old Dec. 7 resulted in a fifth-place finish in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack, appeared on top of his game Friday, powering home by 2 1/2 lengths under jockey Paco Lopez. Repo Rocks finished second and Celtic Contender was third in a field reduced to three horses by eight scratches. Book'em Danno's time was an "I'm back" clocking of 1:20.03. "It was a small field, but both of those horses are stakes winners and (Repo Rocks, a multiple grade 3-winner trained by Jamie Ness) has a couple of years on (Book'em Danno). It was a good, solid effort, and (Lopez) gave him the kind of ride I'll be looking for for a real long time," Ryan said. Book'em Danno, who is 7-for-12 with three seconds and career earnings of $1,098,125, followed his Pasco victory here last winter by finishing second to Forever Young (JPN) by a head in the Saudi Derby (G3) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Japanese colt is 8-for-10 lifetime, his only defeats a pair of third-place finishes in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). In his first race back in the United States June 8 at Saratoga Race Course, Book'em Danno won the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) under Irad Ortiz, Jr., defeating Prince of Monaco and Nutella Fella, among others, in 1:21.30 for seven furlongs. The following month, he won the Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park under leading Tampa Bay Downs rider Samuel Marin, who had ridden him in the Pasco. A son of multiple grade 2-winner Bucchero out of Adorabella, by Ghostzapper, Book'em Danno was bred by Gregory J. Kilka and the Bright View Farm of Christine Connelly.