Undefeated Recruiter, Howgreatisnate meet in Gotham
Press Release- March 3, 2023
Two undefeated sophomores with 4-for-4 records will make their graded stakes debuts by way of Parx Racing in Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct. Lynch Racing and Nick Sanna Stable’s Recruiter [post 14, Angel Cruz] will make the second outing of his sophomore campaign for trainer Cathal Lynch while Imaginary Stables’ Howgreatisnate [post 2, J.D. Acosta] makes his seasonal debut for conditioner Andrew Simoff.
The Gotham, which attracted an overflow field, awards 50-20-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers and is carded as Race 9 on Saturday’s loaded 10-race card.
Recruiter, a bay Army Mule colt out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Lady Halite, enters from a strong 2 3/4-length score in the Parx Juvenile on January 3, which was originally scheduled for juveniles on December 27 but was moved to after the New Year due to weather with the condition adjusted to sophomores. Ridden to victory by Mychel Sanchez, Recruiter rated in fourth one length from the pace and pounced to the lead in mid-turn, drawing away down the stretch to cross the wire first in a final time of 1:26.75 over the sloppy and sealed track.
The Parx Juvenile was the first time Recruiter had rated from farther back than second, his other three victories coming in front-running fashion. Lynch said he is confident Recruiter can be effective in either a pacesetting or stalking position as he makes his first start beyond sprint distances.
“He’s out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare and he’s very quick, but he doesn’t need the lead – he just happened to be on the lead in a couple of his races,” said Lynch.
Recruiter’s four victories have come at three different racetracks and four different distances, beginning with a debut score sprinting five furlongs in August at Monmouth Park. He followed with a 1 3/4-length coup sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs to best winners in an October optional claimer at Laurel Park before earning his first stakes victory in the six-furlong James F. Lewis, III in November over the same oval.
Recruiter has worked steadily over the Fair Hill dirt training track, posting a series of five and seven-furlong works since his Parx Juvenile victory. He most recently breezed five-eighths in 1:01.20 on Thursday.
“He’s done everything right so far,” said Lynch. “We’ve shipped him all over and he doesn’t need to run on any one track. He has no problem jumping on the van and going to race somewhere. He’s very straightforward and we’re very fortunate. He acts like a really nice horse, so fingers crossed that he runs well there. He’s earned the chance and we don’t like to go up there unless they act like they’re legit enough to do it.”
Recruiter is cross-entered in the Rittenhouse Square on Monday at Parx Racing.
[So, uhh… Howgreatisnate?]Howgreatisnate, a Kentucky-bred son of Speightster, was last seen posting a 3 1/2-length victory in the six-furlong Future Stars on December 5 at Parx in similar fashion to Recruiter’s Parx Juvenile win. The bay gelding tracked in fourth position under regular pilot J.D. Acosta and pounced to the lead at the stretch call before drawing off to victory in a final time of 1:12.07 over a fast Parx main track.
Three of Howgreatisnate’s four victories have come at six furlongs, except for his winning debut when taking a 5 1/2-furlong $40,000 maiden claimer in August at Delaware Park. He followed that effort with his first stakes victory in September in the First State Dash, a sprint restricted to Delaware-bred or certified juveniles at the Wilmington oval.
The morning line favorite, at 4-1, is the Brad Cox-trained Eyeing Clover. Florent Geroux is named to ride a runner who will break from the 13-hole.
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