OZONE PARK, N.Y. - David Jacobson, the leading trainer on the New York Racing Association circuit for three years who retired from training at the end of 2018, is recovering from a serious illness but said Saturday he would like to train horses again. Jacobson, 64, said he suffered a perforated bowel that required three surgeries and extensive time in the Intensive Care Unit in a New York City hospital. He is now home and doing extensive therapy. “The road ahead is therapy, recovery, and get myself just back to walking and talking and doing all the things that everybody else does,” Jacobson said in a brief phone interview with Daily Racing Form Saturday. “I have some amazing people coming to work with me. When I make my full recovery I want to be training horses again.” Jacobson set a NYRA record for wins in a single year with 164 in 2013. The year before, he tied for most wins on this circuit with Rick Dutrow Jr. (110 each). in 2014, he was leading trainer with 133 wins. Jacobson’s top horses included Stallwalkin' Dude, a horse he claimed for $16,000 with whom he won 16 races (including nine stakes) and $1.6 million. Jacobson, who had success with Drawing Away Stable, won the Grade 1 Forego with Strapping Groom, a horse he claimed for $35,000. He also won the Grade 1 Carter with Salutos Amigos and won 10 stakes with the New York-bred Saginaw. Jacobson also won the Grade 1 New York Turf Writers’ Steeplechase with Mabou, a horse he claimed for $30,000. Jacobson left New York in the spring of 2018 to train in Southern California. He retired from training at the end of 2018 and returned to New York to oversee his real estate business. Jacobson is the son of former New York leading trainer Howard “Buddy” Jacobson, who was convicted of murder in 1980. David Jacobson began training horses in the 1970s but was out of the game for 25 years after his license was revoked by the New York State Gaming Commission, which claimed Jacobson failed to give proper care to the horse Hugable Tom in 1981. Jacobson returned to training in 2007 and won 1,167 races through 2018.