After recording a half-length third to Catalina Cruiser in the June 7 True North (G2) at Belmont Park, Recruiting Ready will take some beating in Saturday’s $300,000 Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar. The Grade 3 winner is one of four making their first California appearance in the eight-horse field and the six-furlong test serves a “Win & You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
Owned by Sagamore Racing and trained by Stanley Hough, Recruiting Ready captured the Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3) earlier this year and the five-year-old son of Algorithms posted a field-best 104 BRIS Speed rating last out. Flavien Prat picks up the mount on the early/presser.
Jalen Journey reeled off three straight impressive wins at Gulfstream Park before finishing a close second as the favorite in his stakes debut, the June 29 Smile Sprint (G3). The four-year-old With Distinction gelding was sold privately afterwards and makes his first start for Peter Miller. The front-runner will show speed from his outermost post with Mike Smith.
Miller will also send out Line Judge, a 3 1/4-length upset winner in the June 29 Kelly’s Landing at Churchill Downs. The five-year-old returned immediate dividends for new connections after being claimed for $62,500 from the previous start and Drayden Van Dyke takes over the reins on the late-running five-year-old.
Air Strike and Cistron, separated by a head when one-two in the May 25 Triple Bend (G2) at Santa Anita, will resume their rivalry. Norberto Arroyo Jr. rides Air Strike for Phil D’Amato and Victor Espinoza has the call on the John Sadler-trained Cistron.
Grade 3 scorer Chief Cicatriz, who picked up his sixth career stakes triumph when rolling to a 2 ¾-length decision in the June 22 Dark Star Cup at Canterbury park, ships in for Shawn Davis. Desert Law, a 6 1/2-length romper over Cal-breds in the Thor’s Echo most recently, and last-out allowance winner Calexman complete the line-up.
