Bricks and Mortar looks sharp in Breeders' Cup drill

ELMONT, N.Y. – Bricks and Mortar, Sistercharlie, Uni, and Maximum Security topped a star-studded workout tab Sunday at Belmont Park.

Bricks and Mortar, the leading turf male in North America, worked five furlongs in 1:00.15 over Belmont Park’s inner turf course. Bricks and Mortar worked in company with Without Parole, a Group 1 winner in 2018, and the pair went their first quarter in 24.86 seconds and their final three furlongs in 35.29 seconds.

“He’s in top form, he breezed great today,” trainer Chad Brown said.

Brown said Bricks and Mortar on Monday would be pre-entered in both the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf and the $2 million Mile.

“Right now, I’m leaning toward the mile-and-a-half race,” Brown said.

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Bricks and Mortar has never run 1 1/2 miles but is coming off wins this year in the Manhattan and Arlington Million, both at 1 1/4 miles.

Brown has the filly Uni for the Mile. On Sunday, she worked a half-mile in 49.78 seconds over the Belmont turf in company with Digital Age, the pair getting their final quarter in 22.18 seconds.

“Uni is doing great right now,” Brown said.

Sistercharlie, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner who has won six consecutive Grade 1 stakes, worked a half-mile in 48.77 seconds. She went in company with Thais, who will be her rabbit, or pacemaker, in the Filly and Mare Turf.

“Just maintenance,” Brown said. “I just want to see how she’s moving.”

Also working on the turf Sunday at Belmont were Decorated Invader (Juvenile Turf) and Crystalle (Juvenile Fillies Turf).

Decorated Invader, trained by Christophe Clement, went five furlongs in 1:00.84 in company with Up the Ante. Decorated Invader, under Irad Ortiz Jr., started a couple of lengths behind Up the Ante and finished on even terms through a final quarter of 22.86 seconds.

“Nice work, fast work, the right way – he was in behind, covered up, finished, and went great,” trainer Christophe Clement said.

Crystalle, under Joel Rosario, worked a half-mile in 49.46 seconds, getting her final quarter in 23.30 seconds.