Belmont Park: Be Bullish brings high Beyers into Corma Ray

ELMONT, N.Y. – A familiar cast of characters reconvenes in Thursday’s $85,000 Corma Ray overnight stakes for older New York-breds, including four horses whom David Jacobson either currently trains or used to train.

Jacobson entered Be Bullish and Uncle T Seven in the seven-furlong race. Two others formerly under his tutelage, Fiddlers Afleet and Ground Force, figure to make their presence felt as well.

Also entered in the competitive sprint were likely favorite Johannesburg Smile; last year’s Hudson Stakes winner, Mine Over Matter; and Cap the Moment.

Be Bullish has posted two triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in open company since being claimed by Jacobson, earning a 100 for his 12th career win Dec. 7 and another 100 for a bang-up second against Hardened Wildcat in his 67th career start April 19.

“I wish it was three-quarters, but we have to deal with it,” Jacobson said of Thursday’s race. “I’m looking to him running a real big race. He’s sharp right now.”

Uncle T Seven was claimed out of a turf sprint last Friday and entered back in the Corma Ray the next day.

“Right now, it’s a question mark whether he’s going to run,” Jacobson said Tuesday. “We’re just getting to know him.”

Jacobson also knows Fiddlers Afleet and Ground Force. He had Fiddlers Afleet for six starts in 2012, including wins in two New York-bred stakes against everyone in Thursday’s lineup except Cap the Moment and Ground Force.

Fiddlers Afleet, claimed from his penultimate start of 2012 by Rudy Rodriguez, is the lone two-time winner at seven furlongs in the field.

Ground Force has been claimed from each of his last three starts – first by Jacobson, then by Nick Canani, and most recently by Jason Servis. The 5-year-old gelding comes in off the fastest race of his career, a front-running score in which he ran the fastest early fractions of any 6 1/2-furlong race at Aqueduct’s spring meet.

Johannesburg Smile was claimed for $100,000 by Repole Stable and Todd Pletcher on Jan. 4, and he has earned back a total of $38,300 in three starts, including half-length defeats in the Grade 3 Toboggan and the Compelling Word overnight stakes.

“He can run from three-quarters to a mile and a sixteenth, and he’s a horse who, like Caixa Eletronica, will let us pick some spots and have some fun,” assistant trainer Michael McCarthy said.

A wet track would benefit Mine Over Matter, who won both of his starts under such conditions last year for Mike Hushion.