What had the look of a paid exercise at 1-5 odds for the New Jersey-bred grade 1 winner E-book’em Danno turned out to be a top-level check of the 3-year-old’s velocity and willpower.
Needing each little bit of the six furlongs, Atlantic Six Racing’s E-book’em Danno wore down a recreation Little Ni within the last strides to prevail by a nostril and take the $110,000 Jersey Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds July 19 on the gelding and his connections’ residence monitor of Monmouth Park.
“On the half-mile pole I knew we had been in a bit of little bit of a jackpot,” coach Derek Ryan stated. “He was examined. It ought to toughen him up.”
The Jersey Shore marked E-book’em Danno’s first begin since he earned his grade 1 laurels by profitable the June 8 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. With the Aug. 24 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) the primary summer time goal for the son of Bucchero .
Ryan had his selection of the Jersey Shore or the July 26 Amsterdam Stakes (G2) on the Spa as a prep for his gelding.
With Ryan and the horse based mostly at Monmouth, the possession group consisting of New Jersey natives, and an additional week of relaxation for the Jerkens, deciding on the Jersey Shore didn’t take a lot arm twisting.
“I’ve spent my entire life in New Jersey and my (late) father and I had been concerned in horse racing for the longest time,” stated Atlantic Six companion Jeff Resnikoff, an legal professional who lives in close by West Lengthy Department, N.J. “We’ve got a fantastic group and it is great to be at Monmouth Park. It was very handy.”
For all of the comfort, the Jersey Shore practically become a nightmare for the primary New Jersey-bred to win a grade 1 stakes since 2017. Somebody apparently forgot to inform Little Ni in regards to the race being a walkover.
Jersey Delight Racing, Billy Belford, and Boardwalk Racing’s Little Ni got here into Friday’s race undefeated after three begins and coach Eddie Owens Jr.’s gelding ran like a 3-year-old with a future in graded stakes.
E-book’em Danno ($2.40) and jockey Samuel Marin had been final within the subject of 4 whereas Proprietary Commerce set the early tempo of :22.14 with Little Ni in shut pursuit. Approaching the quarter pole, Jairo Rendon and Little Ni solid to the entrance and braced for the problem from E-book’em Danno.
Whereas E-book’em Danno slowly gained some floor, Little Ni nonetheless led by a size on the eighth pole and it wasn’t till the ultimate leap that the heavy favourite caught his nostril in entrance of the Mohaymen gelding.
“Now I am glad I’ve the 5 weeks to the Jerkens,” Ryan stated.
Bred by Gregory Kilka and Vibrant View Farm out of the Ghostzapper mare Adorabella, E-book’em Danno received for the sixth time in eight begins and lined the six furlongs in 1:09.28.
“We noticed the character of the horse as he fought via adversity,” Resnikoff stated. “Numerous credit score goes to Derek for having him in such nice form.”
For Owens, Little Ni’s first loss was laborious to swallow.
“He ran nice. He received beat. I do not know if it was by a greater horse,” Owens stated. “We did all the work. He ran a profitable race aside from the final leap. We’ll discuss to the homeowners and determine if we are going to take him as much as Saratoga or if we’ll search for one thing totally different. We’ll discover one thing that fits him. In addition to he ran, it is disappointing to lose by a nostril after a fantastic effort.”
Buccherino was 5 3/4 lengths again in third.