Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey
T.D. Thornton, TDN
Monmouth Park and the connections of last year's champion male sprinter, Book'em Danno (Bucchero), are negotiating to get the five-year-old New Jersey-bred gelding to race at Monmouth on Friday, July 17, which is the day before the track's premier event, the GI Haskell Stakes.
Dennis Drazin, the chairman and chief executive officer of Darby Development LLC, which operates Monmouth, disclosed the plans during Wednesday's New Jersey Racing Commission meeting.
Drazin explained that the initiative would involve a special day in Book'em Danno's honor, with the aim of promoting the overall New Jersey-bred program.
“We're going to make a Book'em Danno day. We're going to get the community involved. We're probably going to give away free admission to residents of Oceanport. We're going to try and, you know, encourage people to breed in New Jersey,” Drazin said. “Hey, a New Jersey-bred won an Eclipse Award. That's a great thing.”
Book'em Danno, who began his 2026 campaign with a second-place finish, beaten a neck in the Apr. 4 GII Carter Stakes at Aqueduct, is on target to start next in the GIII True North Stakes at Saratoga Race Course June 6.
On Thursday, Book'em Danno's trainer, Derek Ryan, confirmed the negotiations to TDN. He described the potential Monmouth start as “penciled in” at the moment.
“We talked about it a couple of months ago, and that's the plan right now. But we have to get through the [True North] first,” Ryan said.
Book 'em Danno, who has a 10-for-17 lifetime record with $1.9 million in earnings, is stabled at Monmouth and is owned by a New Jersey-based partnership of friends and business acquaintances under the stable name Atlantic Six Racing.
Book 'em Danno was bred in New Jersey by Gregory Kilka and Bright View Farm. He is 3-for-3 at Monmouth, winning his career debut there in 2023 plus two other black-type stakes, but has not raced at his home track since 2024.
Ryan confirmed that the race under negotiation is the Mr. Prospector Stakes for three year olds and up at six furlongs. That race is currently on the Monmouth stakes schedule for July 17 with a $100,000 purse.
Without mentioning a specific dollar figure, Drazin said during the commission meeting that Book 'em Danno's connections “require that the purse be a certain number in order to run here. And so we're going to get them that money so they run here.”
Ryan didn't want to get into specifics about the purse negotiations or any details regarding a possible appearance fee.
“That's between [managing partner] Jay [Briscione] and Mr. Drazin,” Ryan said. “I'm just the trainer.”
As for the True North on the GI Belmont Stakes undercard, Ryan said, “Everything is good. No problems. He's good to go.”