Looks like a paid workout with odds of 1-5 for the Grade 1 winner from New Jersey Danno’s Book It turned out to be the ultimate test of a 3-year-old’s speed and determination.
Needing all six furlongs, Atlantic Six Racing’s Book’em Danno ruined a game Little Ni in the final strides to win by a length and claim the $110,000 Jersey Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds on July 19 at the home track of the gelding and his friends Monmouth Park.
“At the half-mile mark, I knew we got a little lucky,” coach Derek Ryan said. “He was tested. That’s going to toughen him up.”
Jersey Shore marks Book’em Danno’s first start since he claimed Grade 1 laurels with a win in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) on June 8 at Saratoga Race Track. With the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) on August 24, the main target of the summer for the son of Bucchero .
Ryan has chosen either the Jersey Shore or the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) on July 26 at Spa to prepare his gelding.
With Ryan and the horse based in Monmouth, an ownership group that includes New Jersey natives, and an extra week of vacation for the Jerkens, the decision to go to Jersey Shore wasn’t too difficult.
“I’ve lived in New Jersey my whole life, and my (late) dad and I have been involved in horse racing for the longest time,” said Atlantic Six partner Jeff Resnikoff, an attorney who lives in nearby West Long Branch, N.J. “We have a great team and it’s great to be at Monmouth Park. It’s convenient.”
To make matters worse, the Jersey Shore has been a near nightmare for the first New Jersey-bred horse to win a Grade 1 since 2017. It seems like someone forgot to tell Little Ni that this race was going to be anything but.
Jersey Pride Racing’s Billy Belford and Boardwalk Racing’s Little Ni entered Friday’s race unbeaten after three starts, and trainer Eddie Owens Jr.’s gelding ran like a 3-year-old with a future in graded races.
Book’em Danno ($2.40) and rider Samuel Marin were last in a group of four while Exclusive trade The initial pace was set at :22.14 with Little Ni close behind. Approaching the quarter pole, Jairo Rendon and Little Ni moved forward and prepared for the challenge from Book’em Danno.
While Book’em Danno gradually gained some ground, Little Ni remained well ahead in eighth and it wasn’t until the final jump that the heavyweight contender turned his nose up to the front. The Mohaymen gelding
“I’m so happy now that I have five weeks to do Jerkens,” Ryan said.
Bred by Gregory Kilka and Bright View Farm from Ghost Slayer The Adorabella mare, Book’em Danno, won for the sixth time in eight starts and ran six furlongs in a time of 1:09.28.
“We saw the character of the horse as he fought through adversity,” Resnikoff said. “A lot of credit to Derek for getting him into such great shape.”
For Owens, Little Ni’s first defeat was hard to accept.
“He ran really well. He got beat. I don’t know if it was a better horse,” Owens said. “We did all the work. He ran a winning race except for the last jump. We’ll talk to the owner and figure out whether we’re going to take him to Saratoga or we’re going to look for something else. We’ll figure out what’s right for him. As good as he ran, it’s disappointing to lose by a length after a great effort.”
Buccherino in third place by 5 3/4 lengths.
Videotapes: Jersey Shore S. (BT)
