Cigar Mile: Book'em Danno has shown he can win from inside

The biggest win for Book’em Danno came from the inside post in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens in June at Saratoga. Trained by Derek Ryan, the sophomore Bucchero gelding will look for more success from the inside-of-11 in Saturday’s Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct.

Book’em Danno breezed a solo five furlongs in 1:01.21 Friday over the Belmont Park dirt training track as he prepared for the one-mile handicap for 3-year-olds and up.

“Everything is good,” Ryan said. “The work got delayed a few days, but he worked good and came out of it good. So he is good to go. He’s been working pretty good for me, so with a little bit of luck, he will be all right.”

Book’em Danno enters from a neck second to Brunacini in the seven-furlong Perryville (G3) on Oct. 19 at Keeneland. He closed along the inside but could only get up for second. He maintained a 10-for-10 on-the-board record, highlighted by the Woody Stephens, in addition to a Grade 1 placing in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial in August at the Spa and a head defeat to Forever Young in the Saudi Derby (G3) in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

“If he gets through, he wins pretty easily,” Ryan said of the Perryville. “We got blocked and a horse came over on him at the eighth pole. It cost him a few lengths. We were the best horse, but what can we do?”

Owned by Atlantic Six Racing, Book’em Danno is one of four Grad or Group 1 winners in the Cigar Mile along with Mullikin, Locked and Señor Buscador. He also is one of five millionaires, with Law Professor, Señor Buscador, Coastal Mission and Post Time.

Book’em Danno will carry 120 pounds, four pounds less than favorite Mullikin and second-choice Post Time’s 124.

“It came up pretty salty. It is a Grade 2 now and used to be a Grade 1, but it is tougher now than when it was a Grade 1,” Ryan said. “Over the years, you always get good horses coming into it. This is his first time going against older horses, but we are dropping a little weight, so that’s got to help.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. will be aboard from post 1.

“You’d rather be outside, but we seem to be getting this a lot. The last time he got the 1 hole, Irad got him out of there and he won in the Woody Stephens, so we’ll leave it up to him,” Ryan said. “Good riders don’t need instructions, and bad riders can’t carry them out. That is Lester Piggott’s famous quote.”