Can Book’em Danno complete a rare Saratoga sweep Saturday in the $500,000 Forego Stakes (G1)?
It takes a special horse to win three consecutive graded stakes at Saratoga. Book’em Danno is on the verge of that feat.
The pride of the New Jersey breeding industry, Book’em Danno is the 8-5 favorite against 10 rivals in the 7-furlong contest.
Book’em Danno launched his assault on the Spa on Belmont Stakes Day with a 1 1/4 length win over archrival Mullikin in the True North (G3). Last month, he prevailed again in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2) with a 2 1/2 length score over Mullikin.
Now the gelding bids for the Spa hat trick.
He will be hard to deny over a track he has dominated with a record of 3-0-1 in four starts with the other victory coming last year in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1).
Paco Lopez will once again be aboard.
“He doesn't go up there just to look at the place,” trainer Derek Ryan said. “He likes the distance; he likes the track. He's been training awfully good, and he seems to run for Paco. He's 3-for-4 at Saratoga now. I just want them to get position and go from there.”
Early positioning should not be a problem from post 4.
As an added incentive, the Forego offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar. Whether a mile is an ideal distance for Book'em Danno is a discussion for another time.
Mullikin returns for another try as the 7-2 second choice. The third-place finisher in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), Mullikin had the misfortune the last two times out to face one of the East Coast’s top sprinters.
Mullikin has a touch more early speed than Book’em Danno, making him the target in the lane when that rival kicks into gear. He shipped to Saratoga from Kentucky for the Vanderbilt and trainer Rodolphe Brisset made a tactical decision after that race to keep the horse in Saratoga rather than subject him to another lengthy round trip.
Brisset hopes the call helps Mullikin flip the script this time.
“Could that be the answer where he has a little extra energy the last eighth of a mile? I don't know,” Brisset said. “Maybe Book'em Danno is just a better horse, but staying in the stall is not going to give us any answers. Even if we are second choice, there's nothing wrong with being second choice in a Grade 1. We'll see what happens Saturday.”
While Book’em Danno and Mullikin renew their rivalry, handicappers are always on the prowl for contenders who could upset the applecart.
The answer to our quest is the uncoupled duo of Most Wanted (5-1) and Bishops Bay (6-1) from trainer Brad Cox.
Both are remarkably consistent runners hailing for a top-stakes winning barn. They will start side-by-side from the two inside posts.
Most Wanted, 5-3-0 in eight starts, has the rail and cuts back a furlong for this race following a dominant allowance win at Churchill Downs.
“I think if he can get a good trip, he'll be a big factor,” Cox said of the son of Candy Ride. “He's super consistent and an honest horse with a big pedigree.”
Bishops Bay has never been worse than second in 10 races with a 7-3-0 mark. He carries a four-race winning streak into the Forego following a blowout win in the Salvator Mile (G3) at Monmouth Park.
“He's put together a nice win streak and we've pointed for this since the Monmouth race. We're trying to take a swing at a Grade 1,” Cox said.
We’ve looked high and low, but it is hard to get past the favorite who seems to be improving with every outing.
Post time for the Forego is 5:36 p.m. ET.
For those who bet horse racing ...
1 Most Wanted (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox), 5-1
2 Bishops Bay (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Brad Cox), 6-1
3 Full Moon Madness (Kendrick Carmouche, Michelle Nevin), 20-1
4 Book'em Danno (Paco Lopez, Derek Ryan), 8-5
5 Extra Anejo (Ben Curtis, Steve Asmussen), 20-1
6 Crazy Mason (Manny Franco, Greg Sacco), 10-1
7 Mullikin (Flavien Prat, Rodolphe Brisset), 7-2
8 Scotland (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 12-1
9 Over and Ollie (Jose Ortiz, Rick Dutrow, Jr.), 30-1
10 Hold My Bourbon (Luis Saez, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 30-1
11 Doc Sullivan (Joel Rosario, John Ortiz), 20-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
