Jerkens considering options for V. E. Day, Wicked Strong

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – After an emotional couple of months in south Florida, trainer Jimmy Jerkens and his stable of stakes runners are getting ready to head north for the spring.

Jerkens, whose father, the Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens, died March 18, said Friday that his south Florida-based runners are scheduled to head to New York on Wednesday. Included in that group are Travers winner V. E. Day and Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong as well as Classic Point and House Rules, both of whom won stakes this winter at Gulfstream Park.

Jerkens was hoping to bring V. E. Day back to the races in the $100,000 Danger’s Hour, a one-mile stakes scheduled for the turf next Saturday at Aqueduct. New York Racing Association officials are strongly considering delaying that race by a week since it is highly unlikely that the turf will be in condition to be used for it.

Jerkens said a one-week delay wouldn’t bother him, but he would like to run V. E. Day on the turf for his 4-year-old debut – and possibly beyond.

“I want to try him on the turf early,” Jerkens said. “We might go that route this year. He ran so well on it [last year]. He worked unbelievably over it the other day.”

V. E. Day, a son of English Channel, hasn’t run on turf since winning a first-level allowance race at Belmont last July 2. From there, he won the Curlin Stakes and Grade 1 Travers on dirt at Saratoga before running sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Meanwhile, Wicked Strong, who finished fourth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap here March 7, is under consideration for either the Ben Ali at Keeneland on April 11 or the Excelsior at Aqueduct on April 25. The Ben Ali is more likely because of its timing and 1 1/8-mile distance, Jerkens said. The Excelsior is 1 1/4 miles.

Jerkens said that Classic Point, the winner of the Grade 2 Inside Information on March 21, could shorten up to six furlongs in the Grade 2, $200,000 Distaff at Aqueduct on April 18. House Rules, a winner of two stakes here this winter, is a candidate for the Grade 2, $200,000 Top Flight Handicap at Aqueduct on April 11.