Unreachable Star goes for Brickyard repeat

Unreachable Star will try to win the $84,000, six-furlong Brickyard Stakes for the second time when he faces 11 other older Indiana-breds Sunday afternoon at Hoosier Park.

In last year’s race, Unreachable Star held on to win by a neck after leading by a length in upper stretch. Trained by Tim Glyshaw, Unreachable Star has won 2 of 4 outings this year, including his most recent Aug. 8 in the Brickyard prep. In that six-furlong allowance, the 6-year-old Unreachable Star was squeezed at the start and farther back than usual coming into the stretch. Jockey Leandro Goncalves went to work, and Unreachable Star won by 1 1/2 lengths. Six of the 12 entrants in the Brickyard ran in the prep.

In his three other starts this year, Unreachable Star finished second in the William Henry Harrison and A.J Foyt at Indiana Downs and won the A.J. Foyt prep June 28. Goncalves retains the mount.

Father John will be a horse for course in the Brickyard, having won 7 of 16 at Hoosier Park. The 6-year-old Father John ran third in the prep in his last out, his first off a $30,000 claim for owner Ron Burch and trainer Barbara McBride. Father John worked a bullet three furlongs in 35.20 seconds Thursday over a fast track.