Mr. Prospector Stakes

Making his first start at Monmouth Park since annexing the Jersey Shore Stakes two days shy of two years ago, Atlantic Six Racing's reigning Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Book'em Danno (g, 5, Bucchero--Adorabella, by Ghostzapper) asserted his superiority with a furlong to go in Friday's $221,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes and edged away to score by a length and a quarter to the delight of the New Jersey faithful. Having successfully defended his title in the GIII True North Stakes at Saratoga on June 6, Book'em Danno returned to trainer Derek Ryan's...

In honor of champion and favorite son Book'em Danno (Bucchero), Monmouth Park has officially designated Friday, July 17, as 'Book'em Danno Day,' with the multiple Grade I winner scheduled to race in the six-furlong Mr. Prospector Stakes that day, the track said in a Thursday press release. Under the conditions of the race, the $100,000 purse for the Mr. Prospector doubles to $200,000 if a multiple Grade I winner starts in the race. In addition, Monmouth Park will have a special Book'em Danno T-shirt giveaway to the first 2,000 paid...

Less than 48 hours after Team Godolphin celebrated Horse of the Year success, among other plaudits, at the Eclipse Awards ceremonies in nearby Palm Beach, 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Knightsbridge (Nyquist) kept the good times rolling, as he contested a hot pace outside of his less-experienced chief market rival Life and Times (Justify), got the better of that duel turning for home and kicked on gamely to take out Saturday's GIII Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Favored at 4-5 off a maiden success at the graded...

Billed as a showdown between the classy Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke) and the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day), Gulfstream Park's Saturday feature, the GIII Mr. Prospector Stakes at seven furlongs, didn't disappoint. Mufasa got a perfect stalking trip which turned into a resounding win, while White Abarrio was slow out of the gate and trailed early before making a late run that couldn't quite catch Mufasa in the stretch. Little Vic (Practical Joke), the 2023 GIII Tom Fool Handicap winner, was third. Winner of the...

Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time), a well-beaten 11th in defense of his title in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Mar. 30, is scheduled to return to action in the $120,000 Smile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park July 6. "He's going to run," trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer said at Gulfstream Park Thursday. "He's been training great. We gave him a bit of time in Kentucky for a bit of fresh grass after Dubai. We freshened him up and brought him back here to South Florida. He's...

Monmouth Park's Listed Mr. Prospector S., traditionally contested in late September, was downgraded to a non-Listed Black-Type after moving to May 29 for the 2021 season. The substantial change on the calendar prompted a review by the American Graded Stakes Committee. The Committee's policy states, should a graded or eligible race be altered materially in age, sex, eligibility, racetrack location, or purse, or is substantially changed on the calendar (30 or more days), a review may result in a change in grade. If it is regarded as a new race,...

Grade I winners Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) and Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) were both scratched from GI Cigar Mile Dec. 5 after heavy rains soaked the Aqueduct main track and will instead start in Saturday's GIII Mr. Prospector S. at Gulfstream. A Grade I winner at two, Firenze Fire won several graded stakes during his tenure for Jason Servis and was transferred to Kelly Breen after the former was federally indicted and removed from the racetrack. Fourth in the slop in the GI Carter H. in his first start for...