Under a different set of circumstances, trainer Derek Ryan could have spent the June 8 afternoon of the initial Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on a different continent in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
During the winter, Ryan was being courted by Prince Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud, who hoped to entice the New Jersey-based trainer to join his roster of trainers in Saudi Arabia, which includes fellow American Jimmy Jerkens.
Then, Ryan sent out Atlantic Six Racing’s Book’em Danno to finish second by a heartbreaking head to Forever Young —the Japanese 3-year-old who finished two noses back in third in the Kentucky Derby (G1)—in the Saudi Derby (G3) and Ryan decided to return home with his gallant gelding.
“I would have been kicking a lot of sand if I stayed in Saudi Arabia and this horse came home and won a grade 1 stakes at Saratoga,” Ryan said.
And thus Ryan was there at the Spa Saturday, beaming in the winner’s circle after his first grade 1 triumph following Book’em Danno’s thrilling victory by a half-length over an on-rushing Prince of Monaco in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds.
“It’s great to win a stakes at Saratoga, especially a grade 1,” Ryan said after his first grade 1 win. “It’s a great day.”
It was also an exhilarating experience for the Atlantic Six team, a group of friends who grew up in the same state as Book’em Danno: New Jersey.
“Besides getting married and having kids, this is the most exciting thing that has happened to any of us,” said Jay Briscione, managing partner of the group. “The Saudi loss was bittersweet but this proves our belief in Book’em Danno.”
A son of Bucchero , bred in the Garden State by Gregory Kilka and Bright View Farm, Book’em Danno won for the fifth time in seven starts with two seconds. A winner of three sprint stakes prior to Saturday, his effort ahead of the Feb. 24 Saudi Derby was a monstrous 12 1/2-length romp in the seven-furlong Jan. 13 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
“He might be the fastest 3-year-old in the country,” Ryan said.
Starting for the first time since his trip overseas, Book’em Danno was sixth after the opening quarter-mile as longshots Barksdale and Frost Free pulled away and battled through blistering fractions of :21.37 and :43.08 while about seven lengths ahead of the rest of the field.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. brought the Hawaii Five-O namesake four wide on the turn as the leaders faded to last and next-to-last in the field of 11 and Book’em Danno took charge with an arresting move at the top of the stretch.
The 5-2 second choice ($7.70) led by four lengths at the eighth pole when 8-5 favorite Prince of Monaco launched his bid under Flavien Prat.
While the grade 1-winning son of Speightstown trained by Bob Baffert whittled away most of the margin, Book’em Danno evaded capture and crossed the line in 1:21.30.
“The key thing is that we have the best jockey in the business,” Ryan said about Ortiz.
Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom Ryan, Prince of Monaco was second by 1 1/4 lengths over Nutella Fella .
A 20-1 shot, Bell Gable Stable’s Nutella Fella made his first start since winning the Sept. 4 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at the Spa. Trained by Gary Contessa, the son of Runhappy won his two starts prior to Saturday.
Out of the Ghostzapper mare Adorabella, Book’em Danno is her second foal to race and is a half brother to the stakes winner Girl Trouble (Fast Anna). She also has an unraced 2-year-old colt by Classic Empire .
Book’em Danno also provided his sire Bucchero with his first graded stakes winner. A multiple grade 2 winner, Bucchero initially retired to stud in Florida but was relocated to McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds prior to the 2024 breeding season. He stands for $7,500.
The connections of Book’em Danno in the winner’s circle after the Woody Stephens Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Briscione said the Jersey-bred and $835,625 earner, who was purchased for an undisclosed amount, should serve as an example to others of the fun, joy, excitement, and profit a horse can bring to his connections
“For the people who are thinking of getting out of the game, don’t because of him,” he said. “For those who are thinking of getting in, get in because of him.”
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