Recruiting Ready Set for Saratoga Special

Sagamore Farm's Recruiting Ready will take a second straight shot at an initial stakes win when the Algorithms   colt faces an expected four other juveniles in the $200,000 Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II) Aug. 14 at Saratoga Race Course.

Recruiting Ready wasted no time arriving on the racing scene with a 10 1/4-length victory in his maiden special weight debut May 28 at Pimlico Race Course. The first North American-based winner for freshman sire Algorithms then earned a grade III placing in his next start, the Bashford Manor Stakes, July 2 at Churchill Downs.

The 1-2 favorite in the Bashford Manor, Recruiting Ready opened a 3 1/2-length advantage in the stretch before he was caught by Classic Empire. After being guided by Racing Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado in his first two starts, Irad Ortiz Jr., leading rider at the current Saratoga meeting, gets the call in the Saratoga Special, which was won last year by eventual classic winner Exaggerator.

Awaiting Recruiting Ready will be Calumet Farm's Sonic Mule, who delivered a disciplined debut score in a maiden special weight July 15 at Monmouth Park. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Distorted Humor   colt stalked from second early and drew off in the stretch for a 3 1/4-length victory.

Interestingly, Recruiting Ready and Sonic Mule are from the same family, as they share second dam Trip, who produced 2-year-old stakes winner Passport. Bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm, Recruiting Ready is out of Need, by Strong Hope. She'll face Calumet Farm's Sonic Mule, who was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm and is out of the A.P. Indy mare Globe Trot.

Also entered off a placing in the Bashford Manor is Whispering Oaks Farm's Tip Tap Tapizar, who tracked from second in that race before finishing third. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who will enter the Racing Hall of Fame Aug. 12, the Tapizar   colt entered the Bashford Manor off a gate-to-wire score in his maiden debut June 11 at Churchill.

Rounding out the field are Get Lit N Get Wild and Gunnevera, who both enter off maiden race victories.