Recruiting Ready notched his third consecutive victory of 2017 by taking the Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness Day, which made the 3-year-old Algorithms colt’s victory even sweeter for his connections.
Owned by Kevin Plank’s Sagamore Farm, which is Maryland-based, Recruiting Ready led from start to finish in the Chick Lang, clicking off opening fractions of :22.98 and :45.96 before going on to win the six furlong sprint in a final time of 1:10.35. The bay colt was never truly challenged as he pulled away to win by 3 ¾ lengths with jockey Horacio Karamanos aboard. Horacio DePaz trains the stakes winner.
“It’s a big significance for myself because I just started training,” DePaz said. “Having Kevin (Plank) and being in Baltimore here, it means a lot for us to be able to win a race like this for him. The horse does best when he’s on the lead. We kind of let him free run a little bit. If you take too much hold of him, he really isn’t going to settle. He’s a strong horse.”
Bred by Claiborne Farm, Recruiting Ready has always showed exceptional promise and a fondness for Pimlico. In 2016, he made his racing debut there and put in a jaw-dropping performance, winning by 10 ¼ lengths. Recruiting Ready was named a TDN Rising Star for that effort. He has since gone on to become a multiple stakes winner, is multiple graded stakes placed, and has earned $308,765.
Algorithms, an undefeated graded stakes-winning son of Bernardini, was ranked #1 in his crop by Rate of Return. His 2016 yearlings averaged more than eight times his stud fee, bringing prices up to $220,000, while his 2-year-olds have fetched up to $180,000 at auction. Algorithms stands at Claiborne for a fee of $7,500.