Bricks and Mortar favored to complete a perfect year in Breeders' Cup Turf

ARCADIA, Calif. – Beginning with his win in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January, Bricks and Mortar has rapidly risen to the top of the American turf division.

Through the spring and summer, Bricks and Mortar won important stakes at Fair Grounds, Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, and Arlington Park, proving unbeatable at distances ranging from 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/4 miles. His undefeated five-race season has put Bricks and Mortar in the discussion for Horse of the Year in advance of his greatest test in Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita. The $4 million race is run at 1 1/2 miles, a new distance for Bricks and Mortar, who will be favored against an international field.

Trainer Chad Brown is confident Bricks and Mortar can handle the longest race of his career, which includes 10 wins in 12 starts and earnings of $4,885,650.

“He’s been super consistent,” Brown said. “He’s trained so well coming into this race I think he’ll give a good account of himself.”

The field of 12 includes eight horses trained in the United States and four from Europe. Aside from Bricks and Mortar, six of the other seven American-based runners are graded stakes winners this year – Acclimate, Arklow, Bandua, Channel Cat, Channel Maker, and Zulu Alpha. United has placed in two graded stakes.

Of the Europeans, Anthony Van Dyck won the English Derby in June and is rated as that continent’s leading chance. Old Persian won the $6 million Sheema Classic in Dubai in March. Alounak won a Group 3 race in Germany in August, while Mount Everest won a minor stakes in Ireland on Oct. 19.

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2019: See DRF’s special section with fields, odds, comments, and more

The BC Turf will be Bricks and Mortar’s third start since early June, when he won the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park followed by a victory in the Arlington Million on Aug. 10. The lack of a race since then is not a concern from Brown’s perspective.

“I’d rather have that for this horse,” Brown said. “I can feel he’ll run a good race fresh rather than squeeze another race into him.”

The layout of the BC Turf works in favor of a horse racing at 1 1/2 miles for the first time. The first three furlongs are run on the downhill portion of the turf course before the field crosses over the main track and joins the main turf oval.

Owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, Bricks and Mortar went 14 months between starts from October 2017 to December of last year because of a hock injury. Early in the season, Brown thought Bricks and Mortar was of the quality to start in the Breeders’ Cup.

“I wouldn’t have been surprised,” he said. “That he’d have an undefeated season and be in the conversation for Horse of the Year, that would have surprised me – not that he ended up in a Breeders’ Cup race. We’ve always known he was incredibly talented.”

While Bricks and Mortar is untested at 1 1/2 miles, Anthony Van Dyck and Old Persian have shown an affinity for the distance.

Anthony Van Dyck, trained by Aidan O’Brien, won the English Derby at 1 1/2 miles on June 1 by a half-length. He has lost his last three starts, and has been pointed to the BC Turf since a third behind stablemates Magical and Magic Wand in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Leopardstown on Sept. 14.

Old Persian followed his win in the Sheema Classic with a seventh in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on May 31, earning a late spring and early summer vacation. At that point, the BC Turf became a goal, trainer Charlie Appleby said. He wanted to take advantage of Old Persian’s ability at 1 1/2 miles and on firm turf. Old Persian won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine in September.

“He showed signs he needed a break,” Appleby said. “That’s why we gave him the summer off to work back from the Turf.

“He’s here with a live shot and we know he stays well. He ticks a lot of boxes. The signs are all good so far.”

Arklow and Channel Maker, who were first and second in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Oct. 5, have solid credentials.

Arklow typically runs from well off the pace but won as a stalker in the Joe Hirsch while in pursuit of a slow pace.

“I was glad he was able to adjust and be close,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He showed he can be versatile.”

Acclimate, who won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August and was second in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship here on Sept. 28, is expected to set the pace in his Grade 1 debut on Saturday.

“I don’t think anyone has his speed,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Acclimate will likely be on or near the lead with a half-mile remaining. From there, Bricks and Mortar will face a stamina test, Anthony Van Dyck can win for the first time against older horses, or Old Persian can win his third Group 1 or Grade 1 of the year.

If any of the other runners win, it will be considered an upset.