Recruiting Ready has eyes on Oaklawn's sprint stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Recruiting Ready, who won last Sunday’s Gravesend Stakes at Aqueduct, could make his next start at Oaklawn Park, trainer Stanley Hough said Friday.

Hough said Recruiting Ready would be pointed to races at six furlongs, and Oaklawn has three such stakes events: the $100,000 King Cotton on Feb. 9, the $150,000 Hot Springs on March 9, and the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 13. Recruiting Ready won the Bachelor Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths at Oaklawn last April.

Hough didn’t rule out the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct on March 9 for Recruiting Ready.

Recruiting Ready returned from a six-month layoff with a head victory over Skyler’s Scramjet in the Gravesend. He ran six furlongs in 1:10.52 and earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Hough said Recruiting Ready was coming off surgery to repair a cannon-bone fracture.

“We were very happy with his race,” said Hough, who noted that Recruiting Ready was due to arrive at Palm Meadows on Friday. “So far, he’s come out of it good.”

Hough, who retired from training in 2012, has taken over the conditioning of about 15 horses owned by Sagamore Farm. Hough, based in South Florida, said his objective is to develop some young horses early this year and send them to other trainers “where they fit.’’

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