Jerkens looking outside

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Jimmy Jerkens entered both Big E E and Multiple Choice in Thursday's $52,000 allowance feature at Aqueduct. But, having named the same rider, Javier Castellano, on both, he may run only one. When the entries came out and Big E E drew the rail and Multiple Choice drew the outside, it helped make the decision.

"I'm almost certain to run Multiple Choice," Jerkens said Tuesday afternoon.

Multiple Choice has won two of his last three starts when drawn to the far outside, including a preliminary allowance victory over this track 13 months ago. Jerkens said the outside is good for Multiple Choice "because he has enough natural speed where he should be in a nice stalking position by the time he hits the turn."

Though winless in his last four starts, Multiple Choice drops into allowance company after finishing third in the Toboggan Handicap, missing second by a neck.

Breaking from post 2 in the Toboggan, Multiple Choice had little choice but to use his speed to get position and wound up battling for the early lead. Jerkens would like to see the horse a little farther off the pace on Thursday.

Since the Toboggan, Multiple Choice has come back with two workouts, including a half-mile breeze in 47.46 seconds Monday, the fastest of 37 moves at the distance.

Thursday's race features a number of horses returning off extended layoffs. Dayton Flyer, who has flashed signs of brilliance, makes his first start since last Dec. 16, when he finished third to Ground Storm in a two-turn allowance race over the inner track. He fired a bullet five-furlong move in 59.60 seconds Saturday over Belmont's main track in preparation for this and has won going seven furlongs off a layoff in the past.

Dayton Flyer could be the main speed should jockey John Velazquez decide to send him. King's Messenger, sixth in the Toboggan last out, is another candidate to set the pace.

Country Be Gold, third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and second in the Stuyvesant last fall, makes his first start since Dec. 1. Though he seems to prefer more distance, he is 2 for 2 at seven furlongs. He worked five furlongs in 59.60 on Belmont's training track last Saturday.

Trainer Richard Dutrow has freshened Spectacularspencer after a hard winter campaign. The last time he ran seven furlongs on Aqueduct's main track, he won a second-level allowance against open company.

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