When Bricks and Mortar returned from more than a year on the sidelines in December 2018, his trainer, Chad Brown, was thinking only as far ahead as August.
Bricks and Mortar’s sweet spot was 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 miles on turf, and there existed four key races for him in 2019: The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf over 1 3/16 miles in January; the Old Forester Turf Classic over 1 1/8 miles in May; the Manhattan over 1 ¼ miles in June; and the Arlington Million over 1 ¼ miles in August.
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.
Buck Thornburg, whose lengthy riding career peaked while he was in his 40s, died earlier this week in peaceful surroundings with family at his side, according to a Gulfstream Park media release. Thornburg was 86.
Born in 1933 in Muncie, Ind., Thornburg was best known in the racing industry for his winning rides aboard Plugged Nickle in the 1980 Florida Derby and Wood Memorial. According to the New York Times, Thornburg won his first race in July 1950 at Scarborough Downs in Maine. His final mount came in 1989.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and trainer Chad Brown set single-year records for purse money won in their respective categories while owner Seth Klarman shows up twice in the top six in purse money won in 2019, according to statistics provided by Equibase.
ARCADIA, Calif. – An unspecified setback has knocked the exciting 3-year-old Honor A. P. out of the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.
John Shirreffs trains Honor A. P., expected to start as the favorite in the one-mile Sham based on his dazzling maiden victory during the autumn meet. However, after training on Tuesday at Santa Anita, Honor A. P. showed signs of something being amiss.
“He came off the track and after he cooled out, he was off,” Shirreffs said early Wednesday morning. “We did X-rays, and the X-rays were okay. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Maximum Security will begin 2020 with a new part-owner and a guaranteed place to live upon retirement.
Coolmore, the racing arm of Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, has purchased half-interest in the racing and breeding rights of Maximum Security, co-owner Gary West confirmed via text. Upon retirement, Maximum Security will stand at Ashford Stud, the breeding arm of Coolmore’s operation, in Kentucky. He will join Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify, who also stand at Ashford.
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has selected 14 events for racing fans to consider as the 2019 Moment of the Year, with voting for the award opening on Tuesday and closing on January 17.
Among the 14 moments is the controversial disqualification of Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby; the death of Marylou Whitney; and the sweep by trainer Chad Brown of all four graded races on the Arlington Million card.
A photo that appeared on drf.com of the key point of the Kentucky Derby in which Maximum Security was disqualified from first place for interference won the Eclipse Award for photography as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters on Friday announced the winners of the 2019 Media Eclipse Awards in six categories.
