Trainer Cathal Lynch and Nick Sanna Stables' undefeated Recruiter will test deeper waters in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a one-turn mile test for sophomores that awards 50-20-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers, on March 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Recruiter, a dark bay son of 2018 Grade 1 Carter Handicap-winner Army Mule, will make both his graded stakes debut and first start beyond sprint distances on the heels of an off-the-pace victory in the seven-furlong Parx Juvenile on January 3 at Parx Racing.
Ridden by Mychel Sanchez, Recruiter stalked one length from the pace in fourth through the first quarter-mile before challenging pacesetter Winning Time at the half-mile call and inching clear at the top of the stretch to come home a 2 3/4-length winner in a final time of 1:26.75.
“Mychel kept him just off the pace and he finished up well for us,” said Lynch, who trained El Areeb to a third-place finish in the 2017 Gotham following scores in the Grade 3 Jerome and Grade 3 Withers at the Big A. “If you can ship them to Parx, I think you can ship anywhere because that track can be pretty tricky.”
Recruiter is undefeated in four starts, stretching out in each outing after a debut victory sprinting five furlongs in August at Monmouth Park. He followed with a wire-to-wire score when facing winners for the first time in a 5 1/2-furlong October optional claimer at Laurel Park before earning his first stakes triumph in the six-furlong James F. Lewis, III in November over the same oval.
Lynch said Recruiter has responded well to longer breezes at Fair Hill, where he regularly posts five and seven-furlong works over the dirt. He most recently breezed five-eighths in 1:01.20 on Thursday.
“He worked good here Thursday and that is probably his last work before he runs,” said Lynch. “We may pop him out of the gate on Tuesday. I have worked him seven-eighths and a mile in between races, and I don't think distance is going to be a problem.”
Recruiter first impressed Lynch at last year's OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, but was scratched and re-entered in the company's June sale.
There, he breezed an eighth of a mile in 10 seconds flat and was bought by Lynch for $125,000 from the consignment of Wavertree Stables.
“He fell into our price range, so we took a shot,” said Lynch. “He's a beautiful-bodied horse, well-balanced, and has a nice walk. He worked well and we got a little value for our money. We've had a few Army Mules and they all can run. We're very happy with them and a lot of my guys are looking to breed their mares back to Army Mule because of him [Recruiter].”
Bred in Florida by Beth Bayer, Recruiter is out of the winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Lady Halite. His second dam, the stakes-placed Ada's Dream, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Buffalo Man. Recruiter has amassed $170,100 in earnings through his perfect 4-for-4 record.
The post ‘I Don’t Think Distance Is Going To Be A Problem’: Undefeated Recruiter Targeting New York Derby Prep appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
