Book'em Danno wins True North battle of Grade 1 winners

In a battle between three Grade 1-winning sprinters from last year, Book'em Danno got the better of Mullikin to take the $400,000 True North (G3) at Saratoga on Saturday.

Nakatomi, slightly favored in the wagering over Book'em Danno, was off slow and did not threaten in finishing fifth.

Book'em Danno enjoyed a perfect trip under Paco Lopez, rating no more than 1 1/2 lengths off of a hot pace of :22.21 and :44.72 set by Concrete Glory, with pressure applied by Mullikin. The latter took over the lead at the top of the stretch, but steadily yielded to Book'em Danno inside the final furlong.

Book'em Danno prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths over Mullikin, with Crazy Mason 2 3/4 lengths back in third. Nutella Fella, Nakatomi, Surveillance, and Concrete Glory completed the order of finish.

Owned by Atlantic Six Racing, Book'em Danno covered 6 1/2 furlongs over a sloppy track in 1:14.64 and paid $6.60.

This was the sixth career stakes win for Book'em Danno, a four-year-old New Jersey-bred gelding, but only his second at graded level. His first came on Belmont Stakes Day last year at Saratoga, when he captured the Woody Stephens (G1) for three-year-olds.

Book'em Danno has narrowly missed in several other stakes, including a head loss to Forever Young in last year's Saudi Derby (G3) and a neck defeat in the Churchill Downs (G1) last month.

“He's had some bad luck in his races where he got beat a head and a neck, but I really wasn't afraid of anybody today," trainer Derek Ryan said. 

The well-traveled Book'em Danno is a son of Bucchero and has now won eight of 14 starts, with other stakes wins occurring at Tampa Bay Downs, Aqueduct, and his summer base of Monmouth Park.

"We'll sit down and figure it out [what's next]. Right now, we'll just enjoy this and go from there," Ryan said.