Bricks and Mortar's team lays foundation for big Eclipse Awards night

Bricks and Mortar and all those associated with him are potentially in line for a big night at the 49th annual Eclipse Awards dinner Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park based on the finalists that were announced in all divisions Saturday.

The top three receiving votes in all 12 equine and five human categories were revealed Saturday morning in a livestream from Gulfstream Park. A total of 241 voters representing Daily Racing Form, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association, Equibase, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association cast ballots, and the horse or person receiving the most votes in each category will be announced as the winner Jan. 23.

Bricks and Mortar, unbeaten in six starts in 2019 and winner of five Grade 1 races, including the Breeders’ Cup Turf, is a finalist for Horse of the Year along with the 3-year-old Maximum Security and sprinter-miler Mitole. Bricks and Mortar is heavily favored to win Horse of the Year, as well as take the male turf title, where the other finalists are Mo Forza and World of Trouble.

:: Full list of 2019 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Underscoring the strength of this Bricks and Mortar operation is that his trainer, jockey, owners, and breeder all are finalists, too, setting up a potential blockbuster night for his connections.

Chad Brown, the trainer of Bricks and Mortar, will be going for his fourth straight Eclipse Award as champion trainer after setting a single-season record for purses. His fellow finalists are Steve Asmussen, trainer of Mitole, and Brad Cox.

Similarly, Irad Ortiz Jr. will be going for his second straight Eclipse Award after setting a single-season record for purse earnings by a jockey. His fellow finalists are his brother Jose, and Javier Castellano, meaning voters opted for the 1-2-3 finishers in purse earnings in this category. Notable riders not making the top three were Joel Rosario, Mike Smith, and John Velazquez, all of whom won more Grade 1 races than Jose Ortiz, and Flavien Prat, who had a rare double in the Kentucky Derby and Queen’s Plate.

Bricks and Mortar’s owners, Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, topped the earnings list among their brethren and are finalists along with Gary Barber and Peter Brant. Neither William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, who own Mitole, nor Gary and Mary West, who own Maximum Security, made the cut.

George Strawbridge Jr., who bred Bricks and Mortar, is a finalist for champion breeder along with Calumet Farm – which led the nation in earnings but had just one Grade 1 winner, Mongolian Groom – and Godolphin. Edward Cox Jr., who bred Mitole, and the Wests, whose Maximum Security is a homebred, were among those who did not finish in the top three.

Maximum Security, a three-time Grade 1 winner who was infamously disqualified from victory in the Kentucky Derby, is one of three finalists in a terrific 3-year-old male division along with Code of Honor, winner of the Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup, and three-time Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach.

Two horses have strong chances to win a pair of divisional titles.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Mitole, a finalist for Horse of the Year, is strongly favored to be named male sprint champ against fellow finalists Imperial Hint and World of Trouble; Omaha Beach was a notable absentee from the top three. Mitole is also a finalist in very strong older dirt male category against McKinzie, whom he defeated in the Met Mile, and Vino Rosso, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Covfefe, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, also could win two divisional titles, as both champion female sprinter and champion 3-year-old filly. The other finalists for female sprinter are Belvoir Bay, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, and Come Dancing. The other finalists for 3-year-old filly are two-time Grade 1 winner Guarana, and Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress.

World of Trouble also is a two-time finalist, but is a longshot for both male turf and male sprinter.

In addition to Bricks and Mortar, Brown stands a strong chance to have another divisional winner in the female turf category, where he has two finalists – Sistercharlie and Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Uni – going up against Got Stormy in one of the more compelling divisions. Breeders’ Cup winners Belvoir Bay and Iridessa failed to make the top three.

Another category where votes figure to be spread about is 2-year-old male, whose finalists are Maxfield and Breeders’ Cup winners Storm the Court and Structor, also trained by Brown.

As with Brown, Asmussen has good chances to see his trainees win multiple awards. In addition to Mitole, he has the overwhelming favorite in the older dirt female division in three-time Grade 1 winner Midnight Bisou. The other finalists are Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Blue Prize and Elate.

Cox, who trains Covfefe, also looks to have the favorite in the 2-year-old filly category with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner British Idiom, whose fellow finalists are three-time Grade 1 winner Bast and Breeders’ Cup Filly Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Sharing.

Julio Correa, Angel Diaz, and Kazushi Kimura are the three finalists for champion apprentice jockey.

Brain Power, Scorpiancer, and Winston C are the finalists for champion steeplechase horse.