Cuff the Danno has defeated Mullikin in their past two meetings at Saratoga, and the longtime rivals will face each other again in Saturday’s $500,000 Forego (G1), a seven-furlong race for older horses at Saratoga Race Course.
The Forego provides a ‘Win and You’re In’ entry to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.
Atlantic Six Racing’s Book’em Danno, the 2023-’24 New Jersey-bred horse of the year, employed a stalking and attacking strategy with regular jockey Paco Lopez to defeat the more well-known Mullikin in both the Grade 3 True North race over 6 1/2 furlongs on a sloppy and sealed main track, as well as the six-furlong Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 19 on fast conditions. The win in the Vanderbilt secured a career-high and top figure of 111 Beyer Speed.
Trainer Derek Ryan expressed his admiration for Book’em Danno’s ability to catch up with his competitor, who had traveled three-quarters of the way in the previous race following a minor stumble at the beginning.
He’s larger than he was last year, more powerful and professional,” Ryan remarked. “I was surprised we managed to get him to run six [furlongs]—seven is a solid distance for him, but he’s quite adaptable.
Ryan said “Book’Em Danno” [post 4, Paco Lopez, 124 pounds] had a strong performance on August 16 at Monmouth Park to get ready for the Forego.
“We pushed him three-eighths of the way out to get him ready. He’s all set,” Ryan said.
Book’Em Danno’s strong performance at the Spa features a victory in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens, sponsored by Mohegan Sun, and a challenging third place in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial here last season.
He doesn’t go up there just to see the place,” said Ryan, laughing. “He enjoys the space; he likes the track. He’s been training exceptionally well, and it seems like he runs for Paco. He’s 3-4 at Saratoga so far. I just hope they can secure position and move forward from there.
A 4-year-old Bucchero gelding, who began his season with a restricted handicap race in March at Colonial Downs, has secured three wins out of four starts this year. The sole loss came by a neck in a seventh-furlong Grade 1 race at Churchill Downs in May, where he finished fourth to the winning horse Mindframe on sloppy and sealed conditions.
The seven-time stakes champion is the offspring of the un-raced Ghostzapper mare Adorabella, who also gave birth to dual stakes winner Girl Trouble. He has earned more than $1.5 million with a record of 15-9-3-1 and is named after a popular phrase from a television series.Hawaii Five-O.
WinStar Farm’s Mullikin [post 7, Flavien Prat, 124 pounds] has a few modifications from his previous race in the Vanderbilt, as Flavien Prat is back in the saddle and the horse will have a shorter path to the starting line.
Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the 5-year-old horse named Violence arrived from Kentucky for the Vanderbilt, with Jose Ortiz in the saddle as Prat was at Monmouth Park to ride the NYRA Bets Haskell Day program.
Brisset is optimistic that staying longer at the Spa has helped Mullikin.
Could that be the reason he has a bit more energy in the final eighth of a mile? I’m not sure,” Brisset said. “Perhaps Book’em Danno is simply a better horse, but staying in the stall won’t help us find any answers. Even if we’re the second choice, there’s nothing wrong with being the second choice in a Grade 1 race. We’ll see what happens on Saturday.
Mullikin, who led at the stretch call in the True North, struggled to get going at the start of the Vanderbilt but managed to regroup and challenge Damon’s Mound along the backstretch. Mullikin took the lead from Damon’s Mound late in the turn as the ground-efficient Book’em Danno veered off the rail and surged past Mullikin with a furlong remaining.
Jose did an excellent job right from the start, and we were in the right position to head back home,” Brisset said about the Vanderbilt performance that resulted in a 106 Beyer. “Obviously, Paco was also where he needed to be, and he passed us. Overall, we can’t be upset with a career-high Beyer. Hopefully, we’ll come back and run even quicker.
Mullikin achieved a four-race winning streak last year, which featured victories in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud in July at Belmont Park and a dominant 5 3/4-length win in the Forego in August here.
Prat was held in the irons while Mullikin completed a half-mile in 49.03 seconds on August 16 at the Oklahoma dirt training track, marking his third local workout. The dark bay horse is aiming to return to the winner’s circle for the first time in six starts since his victory in the Forego.
“You can wish they all would be like him. He’s easy to be with and also a great racehorse. Very professional. He does his job and isn’t distracted by anything,” Brisset said.
Mullikin is the offspring of the graded stakes-placed mare Tulira’s Star, who is a half-sister to the Grade 3 winner Mountain General.
Tristar Farm’s New York-bred Doc Sullivan [post 11, Joel Rosario, 120 pounds] made a comeback after a break of over four months to win the state-bred John Morrissey race on July 31, covering seven furlongs on a muddy and firm track.
A 4-year-old dark bay named Solomini, who was trained by Mike Miceli for his first 14 races, had a break in Kentucky following a fourth-place result in an open optional-claimer at Aqueduct Racetrack in March.
He trained at the John Ortiz stable in Kentucky and enjoyed the wet conditions in the Morrissey, ridden by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, passing Grade 1 competitor The Wine Steward to secure a neck win with a final time of 1:22.69. This performance marked a career-high 98 Beyer.
I believe he had an amazing race,” Ortiz said. “His statistics came back as career-highs, almost all of them. We were pleased that he not only achieved this but also emerged from the race in good condition. He’s larger, more cheerful, and stronger. He’s radiating right now; he has layers of dapples. When you consider all these signs and with no other options, why not aim for a Grade 1.
Ortiz gave Rosario credit for a solid performance on the 15-time starter, who won the state-bred Mike Lee here last summer by four lengths on a sloppy and sealed track.
I believe he enjoys the slop. I’ll be performing the rain dance for Saturday,” Ortiz said, laughing. “I told Joel, the only thing to know about this horse is that he’s a hard worker. He started moving early enough and timed it perfectly. There were some top competitors in that race, and we’re just glad to have come out victorious.
Bred by Seamus Coughlan, Doc Sullivan is the offspring of the Giant’s Causeway mare Queen Frostine and was acquired for $59,000 at the 2023 OBS June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age. He has earned a total of $497,090 with a record of 15 wins, 5 seconds, 5 thirds, and 2 fourths.
Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox has entered dual Grade 3 winner Bishops Bay [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 122 pounds] and Grade 3 winner Most Wanted [post 1, Florent Geroux, 120 pounds] in an attempt to secure his first victory in this competition.
Bishops Bay has a four-race winning streak that began with an optional-claiming victory in January at Oaklawn Park, which was then followed by a close win over the subsequent winner Bendoog in the restricted American Pharoah race in March at the Arkansas track.
The 5-year-old Uncle Mo bay has competed in Grade 3 races over the past two starts, running one mile on wet surfaces. He won the one-turn Westchester race on muddy and firm ground in May at Belmont Park, also known as the Big A, and the two-turn Salvator Mile on sloppy and firm conditions on June 14 at Monmouth Park.
“He has built up a solid winning streak, and we’ve been aiming for this since the Monmouth race. We’re looking to make a move for a Grade 1,” Cox said.
Cox remembered Bishop Bay’s performance in the 2023 Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont Park, where he narrowly fell short in a close race against Arcangelo, who later claimed victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes sponsored by NYRA Bets and the Spa’s Grade 1 Travers.
He’s an excellent horse who has faced a few challenges during his career…I still believe that he allowed Arcangelo to get ahead of him at the finish in the Peter Pan and then came back after the wire,” Cox said. “He has incredible talent. I think he performs best around a one-turn course — I would prefer this to be a one-turn mile — but it’s seven-eighths instead. Still, I think he’ll put up a strong performance.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Bishops Bay is managed by Spendthrift Farm, Steve Landers, Martin Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing, Kueber Racing, Big Easy Racing, Rick Kanter, Michael J. Caruso, and WinStar Farm. He was acquired for $450,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is the son of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Catch my Drift, who has won multiple graded stakes races, and is a half-brother to the Grade 2-winning millionaire Catching Freedom, trained by Cox.
A 4-year-old Candy Ride colt named Gary and Mary West’s Most Wanted has achieved Beyers of over 100 in each of his past three races. He finished second in the Grade 3 Challenger (102) at Tampa Bay Downs in March, covering 1 1/16 miles, and in the Grade 2 Alysheba (105) at Churchill Downs in May, also running 1 1/16 miles. He then ran a one-mile optional-claimer (101) at Louisville on June 1, after withdrawing from the nine-furlong Grade 3 Blame the day before.
We sent him back a mile previously. We had registered for the Blame at a mile and an eighth and chose to withdraw and compete in that race to observe how he performed when turning back. He did exceptionally well,” Cox stated. “He performed strongly in the Challenger after a break and again in the Alysheba. I believe if he gets a good position, he’ll be a significant contender. He’s very consistent and a genuine horse with a strong lineage.
Most Wanted, foaled from the Distorted Humor mare Beach Walk, is the half-brother of the multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Life Is Good, who won the 2022 Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga.
A strong field features Crazy Mason [post 6, Manny Franco, 122 pounds], the Grade 2 Carter winner from April at Aqueduct Racetrack under trainer Gregg Sacco; Extra Anejo [post 5, Ben Curtis, 122 pounds], a Grade 3 victor trained by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, and Full Moon Madness [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche, 122 pounds], who is handled by Michelle Nevin; Scotland [post 8, Junior Alvarado, 120 pounds], a Grade 3 finisher trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott; Over and Ollie [post 9, Jose Ortiz, 120 pounds], a stakes contender guided by Rick Dutrow, Jr.; and Hold My Bourbon [post 10, Luis Saez, 120 pounds], an allowance winner trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr.
