By J. Keeler Johnson ("Keelerman") Twitter: @J_Keelerman
The second Saturday in
January is shaping up as a quiet one on the U.S. racing calendar. There isn't a
single graded stakes on the agenda.
That's why we're turning our
attention to the $125,000 Pasco S. at Tampa Bay Downs. The seven-furlong dirt
dash for three-year-olds isn't the richest race of the day, but it churns out
quality winners with regularity. In 2018, the Pasco was won by future Breeders'
Cup Turf Sprint (G1) runner-up World of Trouble. In 2019, it went to future
Forego (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby (G1) participant Win Win Win. And
remember Musket Man, the third-place finisher from the 2009 Kentucky Derby and
Preakness (G1)? He won the Pasco to kick off his three-year-old season.
Seven horses are entered in
the 2024 Pasco, but one is shaping up as a standout on paper. That's #3 Book'em Danno (3-2), a gelded son of
Bucchero out of Adorabella, by Ghostzapper. Bucchero won two editions of the 5
1/2-furlong Woodford (G2), and Adorabella previously foaled the multiple
stakes-winning sprinter Girl Trouble, so it's safe to say Book'em Danno is bred
for speed.
Certainly Book'em Danno is
living up to his pedigree. His first three starts came in sprints, and he won
them all by daylight margins. First up was a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special
weight at Monmouth Park, in which Book'em Danno encountered some early trouble
before recovering to dominate by 9 1/2 lengths. Then came Monmouth's six-furlong
Smoke Glacken S., in which Book'em Danno settled off the early pace before
taking over to beat next-out winner Sea Streak by two lengths.
Book'em Danno capped off his
sprint streak with a runaway victory in the six-furlong Futurity S. at Belmont
at the Big A, where he rated in fourth position early on before taking command in
the stretch to trounce his opposition by 6 1/2 lengths. He subsequently lost
the one-mile Nashua S. at Aqueduct to Futurity third-place finisher Where's
Chris, but Book'em Danno didn't run badly by any means, carving out the pace in
his route debut before staying on to finish second by three-quarters of a
length.
Any way you slice it, Book'em
Danno should be tough to beat while cutting back to seven furlongs for the
Pasco. He's got this field measured in terms of Brisnet Speed ratings, and a
bullet three-furlong workout in :36 on Jan. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs signals his
readiness for a sharp effort in his three-year-old debut. I'll be surprised if
Book'em Danno fails to deliver victory.
His stiffest challenge may
come from #1 West Saratoga (9-5), who
is dropping in class off a fifth-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders'
Futurity (G1). Two starts back, the son of Exaggerator rallied from midfield to
take the one-mile Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs by 1 3/4 lengths over a
field including next-out Street Sense (G3) winner Liberal Arts.
West Saratoga has done his
best work running one mile or farther and probably isn't a sprinter at heart,
though it's worth noting he's finished second in three of his four sprint
starts. He ran especially well in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at
Ellis Park during the summer, finishing second behind future Champagne (G1)
winner Timberlake while pulling 6 1/4 lengths clear of next-out maiden winner
and eventual Bourbon (G2) hero Can Group.
West Saratoga hasn't run
since October, but he's put together a steady string of workouts since Dec. 2
and is slated to be ridden by hot jockey Samy Camacho, a 25% winner at Tampa
Bay Downs since November. A top-three finish appears likely.
#4 Crazy Mason (4-1)
is progressing in the right direction for trainer Gregory Sacco, a 21% winner
at Tampa since November. Crazy Mason hasn't missed the exacta in three sprint
starts, most notably rallying to finish second in the six-furlong Inaugural S.
at Tampa Bay Downs last month. That effort yielded a 90 Brisnet Speed rating—higher
than any number West Saratoga has posted—so there's at least an outside chance
this son of Coal Front will edge out his graded stakes-winning rival for an
exacta spot. Certainly a top-three finish appears probable.
Selections
1st: Book'em Danno
2nd: West Saratoga
3rd: Crazy Mason
Now it's your turn! Who do
you like in the Pasco Stakes?
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J. Keeler Johnson (also known as "Keelerman") is a writer, videographer, voice actor, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite.
