Aqueduct: Be Bullish tries to honor breeder in Fabersham

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It would be a fitting tribute to the longtime New York breeder/owner Herbert Schwartz if Be Bullish won Sunday’s $75,000 Fabersham Stakes, the closing day feature at Aqueduct.

Schwartz, who counts Be Bullish among the bevy of stakes winners he owned and bred over the years, died Thursday at the age of 80. Herbert and his wife Carol bred Be Bullish and campaigned him for 39 races from the fall of 2007 through July 25, 2010 before the horse was claimed from him for $50,000.

Be Bullish was subsequently claimed three more times, most recently by Bruce Brown and Thomas La Marca who took him for $50,000 in January.

Brown ran Be Bullish back four weeks later in the Hollie Hughes, where he finished third behind Law Enforcement, who is also entered in this field. Brown purposely freshened Be Bullish up for this spot.

“I couldn’t be asking him to be doing any better,” Brown said. “I just wanted to space his races a little better coming off the last race. He runs well fresh, and he seems like he’s thriving. I expect him to run big.”

Noting that the horse was bred by Schwartz, Brown said, “It’d be nice to get Mr. Schwartz some breeders’ awards for all the good work that he did. Hopefully, he’ll be looking out for us.”

Be Bullish has finished first or second in six of eight starts over Aqueduct’s main track. His one career win at seven furlongs came over the main track in November 2008. Rain is in the forecast Sunday and Be Bullish has a 2-4-3 record from 15 starts over a wet track.

Nine horses were entered in the Fabersham, but trainer Mike Hushion said he planned to scratch Spa City Fever and run Mine Over Matter. Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said he planned to run Uncle T Seven and scratch Star of New York.

Uncle T Seven makes his first start off the Dutrow claim. Uncle T Seven has won twice over wet surfaces and was a good third to Inherit the Gold in a seven-furlong New York Stallion Stakes race here last November.

Dutrow said Uncle T Seven had a sore foot that developed into an infection.

“We didn’t think he was going to make this race,” Dutrow said. “As soon as the infection went away he started doing good. We’re happy with him.”

Law Enforcement broke a lengthy losing streak winning the Hollie Hughes Stakes over the inner track in February. He benefited from a hotly contested pace that day. His connections will hope that Writingonthewall and Mine Over Matter get into an early tussle on Sunday.

Itsagoodtendollars goes first off the claim for Bruce Levine. Itsagoodtendolllars has excellent wet-track form, but has never run at seven furlongs.

Wee Freudian, who comes off an open company allowance win going six furlongs over the inner track, completes the field.

Following Sunday’s card, racing moves to Belmont Park beginning Friday. First post remains at 12:50 p.m. Eastern.