Trainer Derek Ryan Rules Book'em Danno Out of Dubai; Connections Rethink Plans

Trainer Derek Ryan told Daily Racing Form on March 3 that near-final plans to ship Book’em Danno to Meydan for the G1 Golden Shaheen were abandoned, and Equibase reported March 16 that the $1 million Godolphin Mile on April 5 has been ruled out as his next start. Ryan told DRF, “We had planned on going to Dubai, but that's out of the question now. Everything had been done. All the arrangements were being made and, all of a sudden, we had to pull the plug.”

Equibase quoted Ryan after the colt’s seasonal return that “We’re staying stateside. It (the Godolphin Mile) is a little too quick, so we’ll wait a ways to see where he goes next.” Equibase and TampaBayDowns also recorded Ryan saying, “It’s a long summer and if we went to (Dubai) we'd probably miss a lot of other races,” underscoring a deliberate decision to preserve a domestic campaign.

Book’em Danno’s form and credentials back the connections’ caution. The 4-year-old New Jersey-bred gelding is listed by multiple outlets as 7-for-12 with three seconds and career earnings of $1,098,125, and he followed a Pasco Stakes win at Tampa Bay Downs with a one-length second to Forever Young in the Saudi Derby (G3) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. In what reports called his seasonal debut at Colonial Downs, Book’em Danno powered home in the $150,000 Boston Handicap at 7 furlongs by 2 1/2 lengths under Paco Lopez in a time quoted as 1:20.03; the race was reduced to three horses after eight scratches with Repo Rocks second and Celtic Contender third.

Ryan tied the shipping decision to ownership and domestic targets. TampaBayDowns quoted him: “You have to do what's right by the horse. There are six owners (the partners in Atlantic Six Racing) who want to enjoy him, and there are plenty of races for him—Keeneland, Churchill Downs. Maybe Monmouth Park or Saratoga.” Equibase added that Ryan spent most of a Sunday with Book’em Danno in Ocala as the horse unwound from the Colonial Downs victory.

The Dubai picture remains unsettled for other runners. Yahoo Sports and BloodHorse report Dubai Racing Club posted entries late Monday for the Friday card and that the Dubai World Cup card is still scheduled for March 28, but trainers are cautious: Brad Cox said Hit Show, scheduled to fly March 14, is being prepped as if travel will happen and “I don't know if that will happen… We're preparing as if it will right now. We'll just kind of monitor things and see how things unfold over the next few weeks.” David Jacobson, on Banishing, said, “The racing and everything is right on schedule, as far as I know…That's what we’re hearing,” while adding, “It’s a turbulent time… We’re very cautiously concerned.” Forever Young reportedly shipped to Dubai on Feb. 17 after winning his second G1 Saudi Cup.

Not all copy across outlets is consistent, and a couple of source passages require verification. HorseracingNation and Equibase contain anomalous lines suggesting a separate horse was 8-for-10 lifetime and secondary claims that Book’em Danno won the Woody Stephens and Jersey Shore Stakes; those details conflict with the consistent 7-for-12, $1,098,125 profile and should be checked against official Equibase charts. Until race-by-race records are confirmed, the clearest takeaway is Ryan’s stated choice to keep Book’em Danno in the United States and to aim for spring and summer targets at Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Monmouth Park or Saratoga rather than rushing to Meydan in early April.