Jacobson mulls next move for stakes pair

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer David Jacobson has two candidates for the $100,000 Hollie Hughes here on Jan. 18, Big Business and Be Bullish, but he likely won’t run them against each other.

Big Business, the recent winner of the Alex M. Robb here at 1 1/16 miles, is a candidate to cut back to six furlongs in either the Hollie Hughes or the $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint on Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park.

Formerly open only to Florida-breds, the Sunshine Millions is now also open to horses bred in New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Both the Hollie Hughes and Sunshine Millions Sprint are worth $100,000, so it may not make economic sense to ship down to south Florida. But Big Business is ready to run.

“Big Business is tearing the walls down,” Jacobson said.

If Big Business does go to Gulfstream, then the 10-year-old Be Bullish could run in the Hollie Hughes. It would mark his sixth appearance in the sprint race, which is restricted to New York-breds. He won it in 2014 and 2011. He finished third in the race in 2009, 2012, and 2013.

Be Bullish is coming off a six-length win when offered for the optional claiming price of $40,000 on Jan. 3, the second straight win and the 17th in 85 career starts for the gelding by Pure Prize.

Jacobson said Be Bullish put in a “big effort last time.”

“When they run that hard, that’s when I don’t want to run them back too quick,” he said. “He’ll tell me.”

Jacobson plans to run Aireofdistinction in the Interborough on Jan. 17. He purchased Aireofdistinction from Taylor Made after she failed to meet her reserve at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Aireofdistinction, formerly trained by Steve Asmussen for Gillian Campbell, won the Open Mind Stakes at Churchill Downs in September, her most recent start.