Jacobson targets a second New York Turf Writers Cup
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer David Jacobson is hoping history will repeat itself when he sends out his recent claim All Together against defending champion Demonstrative and eight other steeplechase rivals in Thursday’s Grade 1 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap.
Four years ago, Jacobson claimed Mabou early in the Saratoga meet and three weeks later sent him out to upset the 2 3/8-mile New York Turf Writers for the first Grade 1 win of his training career. Jacobson said he claimed All Together for $30,000 here on Aug. 5 for the same reasons he took Mabou.
“It just looked like a similar opportunity,” said Jacobson, whose father Howard “Buddy” Jacobson trained steeplechase horses during the 1960s. “This horse has competed well at this level in the past, and when he walked into the paddock he impressed me with how good looking he was. Every horse is different, but he’s fallen right into our regular training regimen, just like Mabou did a few years ago, so hopefully the results will be the same when he runs on Thursday. A thing like this can only happen at Saratoga.”
All Together blew out three furlongs over the main track in 39.60 on Tuesday. All Together, who finished fourth in the New York Turf Writers last year, will carry 140 pounds, 16 fewer than highweight Demonstrative.
“We will be getting a big break in weights from the favorite, which can make a big difference in this game, and he’s also run well on the turf, so in the back of my head I was also thinking there could be other opportunities down the road for this horse later this season,” Jacobson said. “We didn’t just claim him for the one race.”
Demonstrative will try to rebound from a third-place finish as the 1-2 favorite in the Smithwick three weeks ago, failing to kick on late after racing well placed to the stretch. Demonstrative, an 8-year-old son of Elusive Quality trained by Richard Valentine, rallied to a half-length triumph over Barnstorming in the 2014 Turf Writers Cup, the first of three consecutive Grade 1 wins that led to him being honored as the Eclipse Award champion in the steeplechase division last year.
The field for the Turf Writers also includes the 12–year-old Divine Fortune, who’ll compete in the event for the fifth time in his long and illustrious career, and Hinterland, who comes from England to make his U.S. debut on Thursday for trainer Jack Fisher.
Divine Fortune, who easily defeated Demonstrative winning the prestigious Colonial Cup last November, and All the Way Jose are both trained by Jonathan Sheppard for the Turf Writers Cup.