Bricks and Mortar was disrespected a bit by the bettors considering his unbeaten record and prominent connections, but he silenced all doubters late as he powered to the front to win going away. Away alertly from his rail draw, the dark bay scraped paint behind splits of :23.94 and :48.11 doled out by Secretary At War (War Front). Running the risk of getting trapped down inside as they sprinted for home, he was wheeled into the clear by Joel Rosario in midstretch, and picked off the embattled duo of Yoshida and Big Handsome under confident handling.
“I got a good trip,” said Rosario. “We were all running together for the first three quarters trying to get position…I was down inside and had to stay where I was, but I just took my time to take him out. He's a nice horse and tries very hard. The last race he had, the final quarter-mile was very fast. He tries hard every time, so I knew he had the turn-of-foot to get home, I just waited until I could get him out. He's very honest and as long as he's comfortable, he'll take it from there. You can put him wherever you want.”
Bricks and Mortar rallied for a first-up success at Gulfstream Feb. 18, and resurfaced to defeat the likes of Snap Decision (Hard Spun) in a Belmont optional claimer June 9. He doubled up by a neck over Big Handsome, with another head back to Secretary At War, in the Manila S. downstate July 4.
This marked the third-straight running of this event won by future Hall of Famer Chad Brown, who sent out Takeover Target (Harlan's Holiday) to a score for these owners here two years ago.
“I have a lot of respect for this field,” Brown said. “It's a deep field and this horse keeps improving. For a lightly raced 3-year-old, he's undefeated, he's done everything we've asked. You can't ask for better than that. Yoshida is a top-class horse and to kick clear you're really going to have to run a fast last quarter to catch him.”
According to Trakus data, Bricks and Mortar got his final quarter in :22.07.
“He handled the mile and sixteenth, well but at some point, we're going to have to address how far this horse wants to run, but for right now, I'm not sure,” Brown said of future plans. “I want to enjoy this. Whether he'll come back at this meet or not, I'm not sure; it's probably unlikely. But he's undefeated, he's done nothing wrong and you'll hear more from this horse.”
Pedigree Notes:
Bricks and Mortar becomes the 102nd graded or group winner for his top-class sire, who was also responsible for debut-winning juvenile filly Pauseforthecause earlier on the card. Bricks and Mortar's dam, a stakes horse on two continents for breeder George Strawbridge's Augustin Stable, is a half to MSW/MGSP Seahawk Gold (At the Threshold) and to the dam of Grade I-winning sprinter Bordonaro (Memo {Chi}) and MSW/GISP Miss Empire (Empire Maker). Bricks and Mortar's older sister Emerald Beech (Maria's Mon) annexed the local Waya S. almost exactly six years ago before adding the GIII Glens Falls S. later in the meet. Beyond the Waves has a 2-year-old colt named Beyond the Point (Point of Entry) and a yearling filly by Animal Kingdom. She was bred to Quality Rod this past breeding season.
Friday, Saratoga Race Course
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING HALL OF FAME S.-GII, $200,000, SAR, 8-4, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.47, fm.
1–@BRICKS AND MORTAR, 121, c, 3, by Giant's Causeway
1st Dam: Beyond the Waves (SW & MGSP-Fr, GSP-US, $187,752), by Ocean Crest
2nd Dam: Excedent, by Exceller
3rd Dam: Broadway Lullaby, by Stage Door Johnny
($200,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables Inc & William H Lawrence; B-George Strawbridge (KY); T-Chad C Brown; J-Joel Rosario. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $256,800. *1/2 to Emerald Beech (Maria's Mon), GSW, $269,338; Sir Ector (Dynaformer), GSP-Ire, $322,620 (flat/jumps); Beyond Smart (Smart Strike), SW, $181,531; and Water View (Petionville), SP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”stonestreet-trainingalum”]2–Yoshida (Jpn), 121, c, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Hilda's Passion, by Canadian Frontier. (¥94,000,000 Ylg '15 JRASAL). O-WinStar Farm LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC, China Horse Club, SF Racing Group; B-Northern Farm (JPN); T-William I Mott. $40,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Big Handsome, 119, c, 3, Street Boss–Moojha, by Forest Wildcat. ($250,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT). O-Team D, Head of Plains Partners LLC & ERJ Racing, LLC; B-Rabbah Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Anthony W Dutrow. $20,000.[bullet ad=”hidden-brook-sales-graduate”]Margins: 3/4, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 4.10, 2.20, 3.00.
Also Ran: Snap Decision, Makarios, Parlor, Arklow, Secretary At War, Bonus Points. Scratched: Caviar Czar (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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