Book’em Danno scores on day to honor him
Triumphs in Monmouth’s Mr. Prospector
Press Release
July 18, 2026
Book’em Danno, the three-time New Jersey Horse of the Year and the reigning Eclipse Award-winning Male Sprinter, delighted his large crowd of admirers as he dominated in the $200,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes on a special day held in his honor at Monmouth Park on Friday.
Under regular rider Paco Lopez, the five -year-old gelding broke alertly and never left the result in doubt despite a challenge in the stretch from multiple stakes winner Quint’s Brew. Book’em Danno shook off his rival inside the sixteenth pole and kicked clear to the wire to cover the six furlongs in the final time of 1:09.37 on the fast track.
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Quint’s Brew, trained by Ned Allard and ridden by Forest Boyce, came home 1¼ lengths behind while Boardwalk Jack was another 4 ¼ lengths back.
On “Book’em Danno Day” the local star lived up to his advanced star billing. He rated behind Quint’s Brew as that horse set a quick split of :22.42 for the first quarter-mile, then took over the lead establishing fractions of :45.25 for the half-mile and :57.07 for five furlongs.
“I left it up to Paco (Lopez). I never tell Paco how to ride him. He (Book’em Danno) has been extra sharp the last two weeks. He’s been really on the muscle. He broke so fast,” said trainer Derek Ryan. “It’s kind of weird that everything has gone to plan for the last two years. You hate to say it but it’s perfect timing. It worked out the way I wanted it to.”
Lopez had high praise for his mount and the toughness he showed.
“Quint’s Brew is a good horse. He has run some good numbers so I knew he would be pressing us,” said Lopez. “Everybody seemed like they had a little speed and I didn’t want to rush my horse just to make the lead. I know he can come from behind.
“Today he broke sharp. I let (Quint’s Brew) go because my horse was comfortable and he has been training very well. I knew he was ready to fight if he had to. He always does.
“He was very comfortable the whole way even with all of the pressure he had. He sometimes waits for me pressure. I think he’s a better horse this year than he was last year. He’s more mature, he has put on some weight and he has a lot of confidence. He had to come from behind in a few races last year. Now he’s a different horse. He always breaks on top or near the lead.”
Ryan said that he had full confidence in Book’em Danno, who is owned by the locally-based Atlantic Six Racing Partnership, and was most recently the winner of the Grade 3 True North at Saratoga June 6.
“I know that horse (Quint’s Brew) and he’s a good horse and I know Forest (Boyce) and she’s a good rider,” said Ryan. “He’s a legit horse, and I figured he was the one to beat. I had no nervousness when they got into the stretch. Once he gets in front he’s tough to beat.
“He’s a battler. He’s really, really tough to beat. He’s been training so good; he’s been tearing the barn down. He’s not one to let anyone get by him. He’s very competitive and they’re hard to find.”
Ryan said Book’em Danno will head back to Saratoga to defend his title in the Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 29 in a 2026 campaign that will ultimately culminate in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
“Hopefully, we’ve got one more before the Breeders’ Cup,” he said. “I know he loves Saratoga and I know he loves the distance so that’s the plan. It would be stupid to try something new at this stage.
“We got what we wanted (out of this race). You saw the crowd that was here. All the owners are local and everyone got to see him and it keeps them all happy.
The multiple graded stakes-winning Book’em Danno is now four-for-four at Monmouth Park. He broke his maiden here at first asking and has also taken the Smoke Glacken Stakes and the Jersey Shore Stakes at the Jersey Shore oval during his stellar career. The Mr. Prospector was his 10th stakes win overall, with five graded.
In the Mr. Prospector, Doroteo, Silver Slugger, and Full Moon Madness followed the top three home.
Book’em Danno, who was bred Gregory Kilka and Bright View Farm, returned $2.20 for a $2 win wager. He improved his record to 12-4-1 from 19 starts and upped his career bankroll to $2,255,425.
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