Gargan has been pointing Brick Ambush to the Great White Way

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Danny Gargan won the most prestigious race for 2-year-olds run at the Aqueduct fall meet when Dornoch captured the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen on Dec. 2. Saturday, Gargan will try to win the richest race offered for 2-year-olds at the meet when he sends out Brick Ambush in the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series.

The seven-furlong race is restricted to progeny of New York-based stallions. Brick Ambush is one of five sons of Laoban, who was once a New York-based stallion before moving to Kentucky. In May 2021, he died suddenly.

The lucrative purse of the Great White Way drew 14 entrants, but the New York Racing Association limits starters in 2-year-old races to 12. Brick Ambush is one of just six winners in the field, having captured his second start by two lengths in a one-mile race here Nov. 17. In his debut, Brick Ambush, owned by Dean Reeves, finished fourth in a field of 10 after being 15 lengths back at one point.

“I told the jock to break and sit on him and let him run down the lane and that’s what he did,” Gargan said, referring to Flavien Prat who rode him on debut. “We were prepping him. This is the race Dean wanted to focus on, so we gave him a good education.”

The speed Brick Ambush showed from the gate in his maiden victory should help him get position when he breaks from post 12 under Junior Alvarado on Saturday.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

“If he sits third, fourth, or fifth early, down the lane he’ll come running,” Gargan said.

The lone victory for B D Saints came on the turf, but the son of Laoban came with a solid late run to finish second in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes going a mile over a muddy main track on Oct. 29.

“He broke a step slow and a touch to the outside, Kendrick didn’t run him, gathered him up and made a nice run at the end,” trainer Linda Rice said.

Solo’s Fury ran second and then won a maiden race in his first two starts for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. He then finished last of nine in the Sleepy Hollow on Oct. 29, a race run over a sealed, muddy track.

Englehart saw no physical issues with the son of Solomini, so he’s just going to draw a line through it and soldier on.

“Other than not behaving in the gate, I thought he ran very well the first time, he just got a little tired toward the end,” Englehart said. “Next time, he showed he wanted to run, and that’s why the last race confused me a little bit.”

Jose Lezcano rides Solo’s Fury from post 11.

Antonio of Venice comes out of a fourth in the Aspirant Stakes on Sept. 25 at Finger Lakes, his fifth start. King Freud and Solo in Paris are the other winners in this field

The maiden Liberty Central has raced greenly while finishing second in both of his starts. The son of Central Banker looks like a horse who may appreciate the added furlong he gets Saturday. The other maidens include Solo Empire, Profitability, The Big Torpedo, and Wo Hop. First-time starters Palace Boss and Kaz’ Mega Bank are on the also-eligible list.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.