Small changes for Recruiting Ready could add up to Saratoga Special win

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With a 3 1/2-length lead in midstretch, Recruiting Ready looked home free in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs last month. Whether it was Recruiting Ready lacking focus on the lead or jockey Edgar Prado riding overconfidently, Recruiting Ready was run down by Classic Empire and lost the Bashford Manor by three-quarters of a length while finishing nine lengths clear of the rest of the field.

On Sunday, when Recruiting Ready returns in the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special at 6 1/2 furlongs, trainer Horacio De Paz is making a couple of changes that he hopes will help the 2-year-old colt finish the job. First, he is removing the blinkers from Recruiting Ready’s equipment. Second, he is making a rider change to Irad Ortiz Jr., the leading jockey at Saratoga and in North America in terms of purse money won.

“We took the blinkers off after that race for all his recent works, and he was much more settled in all his works,” said De Paz, who previously worked for Todd Pletcher and now trains 40 head for Sagamore Farm, including Recruiting Ready. “He is naturally speedy. Second jump out of the gate, he puts himself right in the race. We’re just hoping he’ll tone it down a little bit and finish up the race.”

Getting Ortiz is a bit of a coup. He is the leading rider at the meet with 28 wins, including five stakes victories.

“Edgar didn’t do anything wrong on him, but having a nice horse like this, we’re able to come over here and choose our rider,” said De Paz, who is based at Laurel. “I got a lot of calls from riders up here in New York when people knew we were coming. We went ahead and went with Irad; he’s winning a lot of races up here.”

Recruiting Ready broke from the outside post in the Bashford Manor and rocketed to the front. He got a little pressure from Tip Tap Tapizar before putting that one away.

Recruiting Ready again has the outside post in this field of five, with Tip Tap Tapizar breaking from post 3.

Pletcher, for whom De Paz said he worked for 4 1/2 years, sends out Sonic Mule, a first-out winner at Monmouth. Sonic Mule was hard-ridden from the rail by Joe Bravo, then was eased outside of Cohen’s Kat before drawing off to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

“The horse handled that very professionally for his first start,” Pletcher said. “He finished up well and came back with a good breeze. Like any time you go from a maiden to a stakes, you get ready to find out what you have.”

Gunnevera, a maiden winner July 16 at Gulfstream, and Get Lit N Get Wild, a maiden winner Aug. 2 at Presque Isle Downs, complete the field.