By Nick Hahn and Frank Vespe

Nobody’s loving Colonial Downs’s March mini-meet more than Paco Lopez.

The veteran rider, who’s been in and out of hot water in recent months, has thrived in New Kent, winning six times in the meet’s first two days, topped by a victory by Book’em Danno in the $150,000 Boston Handicap for state-restricted four-year-olds and up.

“He did it!” Lopez said after the Boston. “He did a very good job, that horse today.”

The Boston initially attracted a field of 11, but it’s likely many of those connections were expecting a chance at easy money – rather than having to tangle with the Grade 1-winning New Jersey-bred Book’em Danno.

As a result, by post time the field had scratched down to just three, though it was a salty trio. Joining Book’em Danno, a four-year-old New Jersey-bred Bucchero gelding, were near-millionaire Repo Rocks and two-time stakes winner Celtic Contender, most recently second to the very fast Quint’s Brew in the General George.

When the gates opened, it was Celtic Contender who grabbed the front while pressed by Book’em Danno, never more than a length back. They zipped a quarter-mile in 22.65 seconds and a half in 45.14, while Repo Rocks bided his time, just another length back.

Lopez said he had been concerned about the break, but once Book’em Danno broke to be second, he was “very comfortable.”

Turning for home, Repo Rocks put in a bid, and Celtic Contender fought on. But Book’em Danno was too much for his rivals, inching away to win by 2 ½ lengths over Repo Rocks, who was a half-length in front of Celtic Contender.

The running time for seven furlongs on a fast main track, 1:20.03, was less than a fifth of a second off the track record of 1:19.86, set last year by Mufasa. His six-furlong split in the Boston of 1:07.92 was just 0.06 seconds off Guam Typhoon’s 2012 track record.

“He’s a very nice horse,” added Lopez.

Book’em Danno, trained by Derek Ryan for Atlantic Six Racing LLC, won for the seventh time in 12 career starts and kicked his 2025 campaign off in style. The winner’s share pushed his career bankroll to nearly $1.1 million.

The $1 million Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup undercard could be Book’em Danno’s next race.

Book’em Danno paid $2.60 to win.

One race prior to the Boston, Sheilahs Warcloud rallied outside under Weston Hamilton to post a 7-2 upset in the $150,000 Stellar Wind Handicap for state-restricted fillies and mares.

Trained by Justin Nixon and a homebred for Nixon and partner Dr. Megan Kerford, Sheilahs Warcloud rallied from mid-flight to prevail by a neck over Mary Q, with favored Binnie 2 ¾ lengths farther back. Running time for six furlongs was 1:09.14.

Sheilahs Warcloud, a Maryland-bred by Madefromlucky, made her first start of the season in the Stellar Wind. She had been second or third in four stakes last year as a sophomore. Though this race is not considered a stake for black type purposes, the sizable purse and competition stack up well with other state-restricted contests.

“I was worried it might be a little bit short for her, but Weston had her in great position,” Nixon said. “She just kept closing and stayed on to the end. Just thrilled with her.”