Book’em Danno arrests New Jersey maidens

Another first-time Bucchero winner, another candidate for TDN’s ‘Rising Star’ designation.

While few who have watched Hawaii Five-O over the years will forget its catchphrase, ‘Book’em Danno,’ nobody who saw the 2-year-old ‘Book’em Danno’ will soon forget how the Bucchero gelding decimated the field in a $72,589 maiden special at Monmouth Park yesterday.

With Samuel Marin in the irons, the debuting gelding bred in New Jersey by Gregory J. Kilka and Bright View Farm was off sixth in the race at 5 1/2 furlongs, then inhaled the pack while wide on the turn and continued on to a brilliant 9 1/2-length score in 1:04.77. Book’em Danno paid $8.80 and earned a healthy check for $43,125 while becoming Bucchero’s 27th winner of 2023, and fourth 2-year-old winner. He raised his sire’s progeny earnings to $1,203,596.