Bricks and Mortar Finds Wire in Turf Classic Victory

Bricks and Mortar has given trainer Chad Brown anxious moments more than once during his career, but in the May 4 $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs, he did what Brown trusts him to do—find the wire.

"I'll tell you what, he had a tough post and the conditions were tough," Brown said. "And he's carrying top weight and he found a way to get there again. He's just a remarkable talent, this horse."

Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Bricks and Mortar, the even-money favorite, scored his fourth consecutive win, rallying over a turf course rated good but with rain falling ahead of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). The 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway was away for over a year with minor injuries before he returned to win an optional-claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park in December.

Bricks and Mortar came back big when he won the Jan. 26 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) over a yielding course, then went to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and took the March 23 Muniz Memorial Handicap (G2T) by a nose after stalking the pace.

In the Turf Classic, Markitoff led through fractions of :24.33, :50.10, and 1:15.08 while jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. kept Bricks and Mortar settled near the back. Clyde's Image and Qurbaan made a bid together as they hit a mile in 1:39.53, but Bricks and Mortar split horses turning for home and ran them down by half a length. The final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:51.80.

Qurbaan, Clyde's Image, and Raging Bull, the Hollywood Derby (G1T) winner trained by Brown, followed Bricks and Mortar across the wire. 

Brown credits Stonestreet Farm for having Bricks and Mortar primed to return to the racetrack.

"Ian Brennan, the farm trainer at Stonestreet, he's done a phenomenal job with this horse," Brown id. "More than one time he's been there. He broke him as a baby and then he rehabbed him for us more than one time to overcome some insignificant injuries, and he got him back 100 percent for me, Ian, and his team, so many thanks to him."

The $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T) June 8 at Brown's Belmont Park base is the next target. The three-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer is confident Bricks and Mortar, one of his top trainees, will get the 1 1/4 miles.

The horse has now won eight of 10 starts, twice finishing third. His earnings stand at $3,768,650.

"He can be a little fiery, a little grumpy sometimes, but he's very cooperative training," Brown said. "After that, he likes his space, and we respect that about him."

Bricks and Mortar is out of the successful race and broodmare Beyond the Waves, by Ocean Crest. He was bred in Kentucky by George Strawbridge Jr. and purchased for $200,000 by Oaks Bluff Partners from Stone Farm's consignment to the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Beyond the Waves is a stakes winner in France and is multiple grade/group-placed. She also produced Glens Falls Stakes (G3T) winner Emerald Beech and restricted stakes winner Beyond Smart, as well as group 3-placed Sir Ector and stakes-placed Water View. She foaled a Runhappy  colt April 24.