Jacobson looks to pick up where he left off to start spring meet

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – David Jacobson closed Aqueduct’s winter meet with a remarkable five-win afternoon Saturday, and the trainer looks live in a couple of spots Thursday as Aqueduct begins its 16-day spring meet with an eight-race card.

The early part of the spring meet won’t look too much different than the winter season, with all racing on dirt until April 20. Saturday’s card features five stakes, topped by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial for 3-year-olds, as 12 stakes worth $2.675 million will be offered during April.

Turf racing won’t begin until April 20, and the courses will be used sparingly to start, as they need to last throughout the spring and early summer.

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Jacobson has horses entered in three races Thursday, including Spun and Won in the multi-conditioned allowance feature scheduled for six furlongs. Spun and Won is coming off a second-place finish in this condition, where he was beaten a half-length by the repeating winner American Monarch.

Where Spun and Won may have an advantage Thursday is the track surface, which is likely to be wet given the forecast for heavy rain Wednesday lingering into Thursday. Spun and Won was a nose winner in the slop on Sept. 24 at Aqueduct, the day Jacobson claimed him for $62,500.

Dylan Davis rides Spun and Won on Thursday.

Thursday’s allowance features the 5-year-old debut of Twisted Ride, a four-time Parx Racing stakes winner who hasn’t run since he finished third in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler here Oct. 27.

Twisted Ride is winless in two wet track starts, and trainer Michael Moore expressed some concern about an off track but said he would run Twisted Ride regardless, as he’s using this as a prep for the Page McKenney Handicap for Pennsylvania-breds on April 22.

“He’s been very good on a fast track, questionable on an off track. I’d prefer a fast track,” Moore said. “I think we most likely are going to run. He’s got to get started on his campaign. He’s got a Pennsylvania-bred stakes towards the end of the month at Parx, and this should set him pretty good for that.”

Andy Hernandez rides.

Joey Freshwater won the Bay Shore Stakes here last April and won a second-level allowance coming off 4 1/2-month layoff Jan. 6. Most recently, he finished fourth in the same race Spun and Won was second on Feb. 9. Joey Freshwater is 2 for 3 on an off track.

Listentoyourheart and Disarmed each won allowance races in front-running fashion in the slop. Listentoyourheart came out of his win to finish last in the Grade 3 Tom Fool, a race in which he did not make the lead.

Stolen Base would likely prefer a dry track to a wet one Thursday.

Jacobson’s other runners on Thursday’s card include Harvard in race 3, a $50,000 claimer at a mile. Harvard finished fifth for $62,500 going 6 1/2 furlongs last out.

In race 6, Jacobson drops Cupids Girl into the $12,500 ranks, slightly below the $16,000 at which he claimed the 5-year-old mare two starts back.

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