Recruiting Ready overcomes slow start in Gulfstream Park Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Injuries, slow starts, rail draws. A lot has been thrown at Recruiting Ready during his oft-interrupted career, but the latest act of a barn favorite might be his best yet.

On Saturday, in his third start following a five-month layoff, Recruiting Ready overcame a slow start from his inside draw before rallying from off the pace to score a 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint for older dirt sprinters.

He very well might be 3 for 3 since returning, but in his last start Jan. 26 he ran into the freakish World of Trouble and had to settle for second in the off-the-turf Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. He had no such rivals on Saturday, but the early trip in the six-furlong race did not unfold as planned.

“It was scary for a little bit,” said Stanley Hough, who took over as Recruiting Ready’s trainer last year. “I was a little concerned when he didn’t get off well.”

Jockey Luis Saez got Recruiting Ready out of a tricky spot down the backstretch and perched him in the three path on the far turn. After the longshot My Chinumado faded after leading for the first three furlongs, Recruiting Ready set after Quijote, then put him away inside the furlong pole before bounding clear.

Recruiting Ready ($3), the favorite, covered six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:09.53. Quijote was second, 1 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Sweetontheladies.

“He’s getting better with age,” said Hough, who trains Recruiting Ready, a son of Algorithms, for Kevin Plank’s Sagamore Farm.

“He’s had his ups and downs,” said Hough, who said Recruiting Ready’s issues over the years included cannon bone fractures fused with screws that are still in there.

“His record probably doesn’t do him justice,” Hough said.

Recruiting Ready, now age 5, has won seven times in 18 starts. Twice in his career he’s had breaks of five months or longer.

Hough said Recruiting Ready could go to Oaklawn for his next start, in something like next month's Count Fleet, but “nothing is really set.”

Regardless, “we hope to finish off the year good,” he said.