With Sensational Star win, Brickyard Ride shows there's not much he can't do

With each of his three wins this year, Brickyard Ride has opened up more stakes options.

Brickyard Ride was a proven sprinter when he won his first start of the year, the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in January. In February, Brickyard Ride won his first start at a mile on dirt with no difficulty in the Tiznow Stakes for statebreds.

Sunday, Brickyard Ride won the Sensational Star Stakes for California-breds going 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

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The variety of wins at different surfaces and distances has left trainer Craig Lewis wondering how best to campaign the 5-year-old horse, and even thinking about a start in the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland in November.

“We’re getting quite a lot of options,” Lewis said. “It’s nice to have that issue.”

In the Sensational Star Stakes, Brickyard Ride took his usual position at the front and won by 1 1/2 lengths over the two-time stakes winner Indian Peak.

“He’s a tremendous horse,” Lewis said. “I hope we can keep him as good as he is.”

By Clubhouse Ride, Brickyard Ride races for owner and breeder Sonny Pais, and has won 11 of 21 starts and earned $680,977.

Outside of statebred races, Brickyard Ride’s best result was a four-length win in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt in March 2021.

Immediately after the Sensational Star, Lewis was non-committal about Brickyard Ride’s next race. The Grade 3 Kona Gold Stakes at six furlongs on dirt on April 30 is one of numerous possibilities.