Brickyard Ride Retired to Rancho San Miguel

Multiple graded stakes winner Brickyard Ride  , a speedy, near-millionaire from the prolific Candy Ride   sire line, will launch his stallion duties in 2025 at Rancho San Miguel in California. He is available for inspection at the San Luis Obispo County farm, where he will stand for an introductory fee of $4,000, with live foal guarantee.

Bred and campaigned in California by Alfred "Sonny" Pais, Brickyard Ride won or placed in 21 of 31 starts and compiled a career bankroll of $925,477. Eight of his 13 victories were recorded in black-type races at Santa Anita Park—seven on the main track and one on the turf.

Topping his résumé are the 2021 San Carlos Stakes (G2) and back-to-back editions of the Kona Gold Stakes (G3) in 2022 and 2023. His five additional stakes scores include two runnings of the Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint Stakes 2021-22, as well as the 2022 Sensational Star Stakes on the grass.

Gifted with natural early speed, Brickyard Ride set the pace in 27 of his 31 races and attained 17 triple-digit Equibase Speed Figures. He won from the distances of 5 1/2 furlongs to one mile, and ran exclusively in stakes company for the final 16 races of his career.

"He had wicked speed, and he stuck around for a long time," said trainer Craig Lewis, who conditioned Brickyard Ride from the ages of 2 through 7. "He was a very, very talented horse who loved to train, and he loved the competition, just like his daddy."

Brickyard Ride is the top earner for Candy Ride's dual grade 2-winning son Clubhouse Ride , who also was trained by Lewis. Now a leading stallion in California, Clubhouse Ride ranks first among all statewide sires in 2024 by turf earnings, and is the co-leader by graded stakes winners and black-type horses.

Candy Ride's other prominent sons at stud include 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner  , Twirling Candy  , and Vekoma  , the latter of whom ranks second among all first-crop sires in North America by progeny earnings through July 17.

Produced by the multiple winner Brickyard Helen , by three-time grade 1 winner Southern Image, Brickyard Ride is a pedigree outcross through his first five generations. He will stand as the property of Pais, who is committed to supporting the incoming stallion with quality mares.

"We are blessed to have such a talented athlete join our stallion roster," said Rancho San Miguel owner Tom Clark. "As has been observed by many smart horsemen over the years, you cannot coach speed."