Brown leaning toward BC Mile for Bricks and Mortar

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he may not make a final decision for another three weeks, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday that he is leaning toward running Bricks and Mortar in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile rather than the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf. Both races are on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

Bricks and Mortar, undefeated in five starts this year, has never raced beyond 1 1/4 miles and is 3 for 3 in his career at one mile. The BC Turf is at 1 1/2 miles.

Brown said he does not plan to run Bricks and Mortar before the Breeders’ Cup, making running 1 1/2 miles off a 12-week layoff “a difficult decision to do,” Brown said. “That’s why I’m leaning towards the Mile and I think he’s got the turn of foot to close very fast in a mile race if he can draw a decent post and get a good trip.”

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Brown said Bricks and Mortar has relaxed well and finished strong in his victories in the Manhattan and the Arlington Million, both Grade 1 races at 1 1/4 miles. He’s not sure how that will translate to running 1 1/2 miles off a three-month layoff.

“A mile and a half is a long way to go and I’ve decided that I don’t want to run the horse before the Breeders’ Cup, I want to run him fresh,” Brown said. “He’s had a long year, a lot of traveling, a lot of breezing, and a fair amount of hard racing and I think he’s going to run a lot better in the Breeders’ Cup fresh.”

Brown said most likely won’t make his decision until just around the Oct. 21 pre-entry deadline “but that doesn’t mean I’ll cross-enter in both,” he said.

On Sunday, over Belmont Park’s outer turf course, Bricks and Mortar worked five furlongs in 1:01.23, in company with Sistercharlie, the reigning female turf champion who is slated to run in next Sunday’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont Park.

“I’d like to freeze time and just have them always there breezing together, I know that won’t be the case too much longer,” Brown said. “If you don’t want to get up in the morning and see that, you shouldn’t be doing this.”

Brown also worked Uni and Rushing Fall together. That pair went five furlongs in 1:00.04 over the outer turf course in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland.

Ya Primo, who finished last in the Sword Dancer, worked five furlongs in 1:00.68 in company with Without Parole. Ya Primo is going to run in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Stakes at Belmont.

Meanwhile, Brown said Structor, winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes came out of his victory in good order and will point to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Brown believes Structor will appreciate the cutback from 1 1/16 miles to a mile because “he might prefer having a little pace in front of him,” Brown said.

Also on Saturday, Princesa Caroline won a maiden race by 3 1/2 lengths for Brown and an ownership group that includes Runnymede farm. Princesa Caroline is a half-sister to the champion Lady Eli, also trained by Brown.

“It was nice to bring her name back in the conversation, having a sister to her run so well, we’re lucky to have her and she really ran great first time out,” Brown said.

Princesa Caroline could be a candidate for the $100,000 Chelsey Flower here on Oct. 27.