Book'em Danno Faces Deep Cast in Perryville

A grade 3 from 2005-09, the Perryville Stakes (G3) was cut from a depleted Keeneland stakes schedule in 2010. Reappearing as a listed race for one year in 2015 and then again from 2020-23, it is back on the upswing. After victories by Nashville  , Gunite  , and Raise Cain , the Perryville returned to graded status this year with a field fully worthy of being in graded competition.

A field of a dozen 3-year-olds is set to race seven furlongs Oct. 19 for $300,000 in an overdrawn sprint that lured grade 1 winner Book'em Danno , two Kentucky Derby (G1) participants in West Saratoga  and Epic Ride , and several talented up-and-comers, led by Knightsbridge , who is 2-for-2. 

Morning-line favoritism at 2-1 was awarded to Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno, a deserving honor for the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) winner and one of the top 3-year-old sprinters in the country.

The Derek Ryan-trained son of Bucchero   was last in action Aug. 24, closing from far off the pace to finish third behind Domestic Product  and Prince of Monaco   in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

"I thought he should have won the Jerkens," Ryan said. "If he gets to the outside, he wins. The rail that day was dead."

Video: H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. (G1)

Just shy of $1 million in earnings, the gelding reunites with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time since the Woody Stephens. They break from post 5.

The field includes Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's Locked . However, he is also entered in an allowance optional claiming race Oct. 19 at Aqueduct Racetrack, and could race there instead. Last year's Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner has not started since running third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) last fall for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Also on the comeback trail is Godolphin homebred Knightsbridge . The Bill Mott-trained son of Nyquist   has earned enough of a reputation through his two career victories—won by a combined 19 1/2 lengths—to earn second choice on the morning line at 3-1 despite not racing since March 28 after experiencing bone bruising.

After a busy winter campaign that allowed Welch Racing's Epic Ride to draw in off the also-eligible list for the Kentucky Derby—where he'd finish 14th—trainer John Ennis decided to give the colt a break.

"He's bigger and stronger. He was a kid going into the Derby, and now he is a man," Ennis said of the Blame   colt's physical maturity. "This is a salty race, but I would not swap my horse for anybody's."

Epic Ride has raced at Keeneland once before, running third at 51-1 in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) while finishing ahead of eventual Belmont Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Dornoch   by 1 1/4 lengths. Like the Derby, Epic Ride will break from the far outside.

Kentucky Derby runner West Saratoga is also back after receiving a freshening following his fifth-place effort in the June 9 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Also with a chance

• Henro , winner of two stakes in his last three starts.
• Grade 3-placed, multiple stakes winner Who Dey .
• Illinois Derby winner Patriot Spirit , who returned from a 4 1/2-month layoff to win a Sept. 7 allowance at Colonial Downs by 4 3/4 lengths.