Atlantic Six Racing received an offer for Book’em Danno last season when he was a 3-year-old, a proposal that was so substantial that it brought every partner to take a deep breath and to judge his priorities.
Although partner Jim Scappi did not reveal the amount, he made it clear that it was huge. “We have offered so much money,” he said, “we will never come back.”
No matter how tempting the potential payment day was, Scappi made a point of other members of the modest partnership that ruled the day. “Guys,” he said, “there is nothing in the life you can do that is so much fun.”
They knew little when they decided to keep all gelding bred by New Jersey that the pleasure just started. Their reported $ 30,000 private purchase of Bucchero’s son from the mare Adorabella has emerged as a speed star who may be without the same.
Book’em Danno became a summer sensation in sweeping three salty races on Saratoga Race Course – De Grade 3 True North Stakes on 7 June, the Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes on July 19 and the grade 1 Forego Stakes on August 23.
When trainer Derek Ryan was asked if he thinks he has the most important sprinter of the nation in his Monmouth Park barn, he replied: “Why should I not? What could be better than the three races in Saratoga?”
Book’em Danno took the 6 ½ Furlong True North with a length and a quarter when he blew past Mullikin with a late haste on a damp track. He conquered a Bobble and pushes the six-follow Vanderbilt at the beginning with 2 ½ lengths. He resisted Scotland’s furious cargo to catch it for the time being with a length of seven Furlongs.
According to Scappi, three partners approached him after the preference to shake his hand and give the same message. “Thank you for talking to us not to sell.”
Nobody expected that Book’em Danno-named by partner Mark Rubenstein for the characteristic line in the old crime-fighting television show Hawaii Five-OOOW would be so fast.
“Just to make those three races is difficult enough,” said Ryan, “let alone winning those three.”
There was nothing in Danno’s pedigree to suggest that he was able to go to such a trifecta. Bucchero stood for $ 5,000 when Adorabella, a non -imposed mare, was sent to him. And there is certainly nothing in the conformation of the sprinter.
“He’s not a nice mover,” said Ryan. “He would not tap all the boxes on a sale, he would not check.”
Jay Briscione, the managing partner of Atlantic Six, is constantly impressed by a burner who blew away their expectations. The initial goal of the New Jersey -established partnership of friends and business acquaintances was to take advantage of thin ranks bred by the state with a runner who was able to go through his reimbursement conditions against that competition.
Briscione always asks Ryan what Danno separates from the Swift Company that he keeps. His answer: “Heart and Spirit.”
That has been a deadly combination, which leads to 10 victories in 16 starts with three seconds and a third for a win of $ 1,855,425. Winsts have come in Monmouth, Aqueduct, Tampa Bay Downs, Colonial Downs and Saratoga.
Danno did not succeed in touching the plate twice. He finished fifth when he was asked to go further than his optimum distance in the cigar mile handicap presented by Twinpires.com last December at Aquaduct. He missed through a neck for the whole thing to take the fourth behind Mindframe, Banishing and Nysos in the grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Ford as part of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve Undercard.
Those who want to see Danno’s immense heart only have to see him compete. If he can first go to the finish line, well, he will do that. As far as His Spirit is concerned, Ryan said, “He knows what to do and when he has to do it.”
As special as Danno it is also the interaction with him. Despite his strange way, the gelding has thrive under Ryan’s care. The trainer thinks long and hard before selecting every race.
“There are trainers and there are riders. Nowadays not every trainer is a rider,” said Briscione. “Derek is a rider and he is a trainer and he has absolutely fantastic work with this horse. You look at the consistency that this horse has had since his 2-year year and it is phenomenal.”
The addition of Paco Lopez to the team has been huge. It was important for Ryan that he had a jockey who wants to work Danno to get to know him as much as possible and someone who would connect to ride him wherever and wherever he started. They have not looked back since Lopez has registered.
Danno will get a start this season. Ryan, after initially he had excluded the November 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in Del Mar while he set a long career for the gelding to the table to the table as one of the different options.
Where and how Danno’s memorable season ends, his rise reminds everyone that there is room in the kings of kings for those who are neither rich nor famous.
“If you go out of the game, you have to stay because of a horse like Book’em Danno,” said Briscione. “And if you go into the game, you come in because of a horse like Danno. You don’t have to spend a million dollars.”
Bring a group of friends together, spend $ 30,000 on a horse that may not look, and the experience can be priceless.
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