Horse Racing News: Book’em Danno Takes on Saratoga’s H. Allen Jerkens
This weekend, the connections of the talented New Jersey-bred Bucchero gelding, Book’em Danno, have decided to bypass the Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Charles Town Races on Friday and instead focus their efforts on the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday.
While the purse value is the same for both races, the decision to run at the prestigious Saratoga venue is likely to prove more lucrative for bettors. Book’em Danno has been installed as the morning line favorite in the Jerkens at odds of 7-2, though he would have been an even stronger 7-5 favorite in the Hilton Stakes, where he would have towered over nine rivals.
“Despite facing a tougher field in the Jerkens, including the Bob Baffert-trained Prince of Monaco and the Brad Cox-trained Timberlake, Book’em Danno is still seen as the most likely winner.”
The horse has an impressive record, having won two of his three career starts at this distance. His only loss this year came when he finished a game second behind the eventual UAE Derby winner and Kentucky Derby third-place finisher, Forever Young, in Saudi Arabia.
One horse that could pose a threat to Book’em Danno is the horse that came within a nose of beating him last time out, who has since joined the barn of trainer Mark Casse. This horse is the only ‘E’ type in the Jerkens race according to Brisnet’s pace designations, and while he may not be the lone speed, he could make things interesting on the front end at a big price.
As always, the final odds will be a key factor in how the race is approached from a betting perspective. This writer is strongly considering a big score by betting Book’em Danno and the Casse-trained horse equally, while also taking a chance on some of the longer prices in the field. The Brad Cox-trained Timberlake is the one horse that is seen as a likely underlay in this competitive event.
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