Book'em Danno, Mystic Lake Run to Odds at Tampa
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Photo: SV Photography
Book'em Danno wins the Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
It was a day for favorites at Tampa Bay Downs, as both 1-9 Book'em Danno and 4-5 Mystic Lake scored stakes victories in the Pasco Stakes and Gasparilla Stakes, respectively, Jan. 13.
Book'em Danno, an imposing chocolate-colored gelding, proved once again he was no ordinary New Jersey-bred with when he galloped home a 12 1/2-length winner of the $50,000 Pasco. In the process, he toppled the comebacking West Saratoga , victor of the Iroquois Stakes (G3) last fall at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Derek Ryan for Atlantic Six Racing, Book'em Danno flashed his star power from day one—crushing his state-bred rivals in his Monmouth Park 2-year-old debut before handily defeating open company in his next two starts. The only time he lost was when he was forced to do all the heavy lifting in the one-mile Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, missing by just three-quarters of a length after setting all the pace.
Regrouping for the last month at Tampa, the gelding returned with vigor on Saturday. Breaking a step slow, Banded Rocket and El Principito grappled for the lead while Book'em Danno was positioned three wide and off the pace under jockey Samuel Marin. Following splits of :22.53 and :45.75, Book'em Danno circled his opposition and grabbed the lead with a quarter-mile to run.
On top by 2 1/2 lengths at the head of the stretch, Marin hand-rode the gelding to the wire. The pair completed the seven furlongs in 1:23.26 on a fast main track, a time that was over a second faster than 3-year-old fillies ran earlier in the afternoon in the Gasparilla.
Book'em Danno returned $2.20 for the win.
West Saratoga, who tracked the leaders in third position along the rail, rallied but couldn't keep pace with Book'em Danno. Making his first start in three months, he settled for second over Rathmore .
Gregory J. Kilka & Bright View Farm bred the newly turned 3-year-old Book'em Danno, who registered his third stakes win and increased his bankroll to $260,625.
What They Said
"This was just what I wanted. Put an easy race into him and move forward. That's the way he likes to run. I could have ridden him myself today." -Derek Ryan
Saudi Bound?
Ryan has mentioned that the $1.5 million Saudi Derby (G3), contested over one mile Feb. 24 in Saudi Arabia, could be next for Book'em Danno.
Video: Pasco S. (BT)
Mystic Lake Wires Field in Gasparilla
Earlier on the Saturday card, Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Mystic Lake seized the early advantage and never relinquished her lead in a three-quarter-length score in the $75,000 Gasparilla Stakes.
Mystic Lake prevails in the Gasparilla Stakes
Twice stakes-placed on the synthetic track at Woodbine as a 2-year-old, Mystic Lake ran to her odds with her first stakes win for owners C2 Racing Stable and Stefania Farms. The 3-year-old daughter of Mo Town blasted out fractions of :22.98 and :46.23, dug in turning for home, and outlasted the late charge from Gorgeous Girl under the wire.
Mystic Lake ($3.60), piloted by Edgard Zayas, raced the seven furlongs in a final time of 1:24.69.
Gorgeous Girl was second by two lengths over 87-1 shot Corinth in third.
Mystic Lake, bred in Florida by Peggy Constanzo, improved her record to 2-1-1 from five starts for earnings of $117,446.