Bricks and Mortar Could Add to Season in Manhattan
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Photo: Ryan Thompson
Bricks and Mortar wins the Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs
What do you call three graded stakes wins in as many outs—including two top-level scores and earnings approaching $4 million?
The connections of Bricks and Mortar could call it a "start," as the 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway completed that résumé before the month of June for trainer Chad Brown.
Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Bricks and Mortar will look to add another memorable win June 8 when he starts in the $1 million Manhattan Stakes (G1T) on the inner turf course at Belmont. The 1 1/4-mile test has attracted a field of 10 older runners.
Bricks and Mortar returns to the course where he finished third in the 2017 Hill Prince Stakes (G3T). Before that, he won a pair of races over the Widener Course at Belmont, including the Manila Stakes. Since May 19, Bricks and Mortar has completed three works over the inner turf, two at a half-mile and one at five furlongs.
"He's doing really well," Brown said of his charge, who opened the year with a win in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Gulfstream Park and enters off a half-length victory in the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs. "He's in great form."
Three-time Eclipse Award winner Brown also will send out Robert Bruce, who scored the biggest win of his career at this distance in last year's Arlington Million Stakes (G1T); grade 1 winner Raging Bull, who enters off a fourth in the Turf Classic; and Olympico, who won his United States debut May 4 on this course by three lengths in the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T).
Brown seeks his fifth Manhattan win since 2012.
Ready to face the Brown runners will be Channel Maker, a 5-year-old English Channel gelding who enters in top form for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Channel Maker, who won last year's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) on the Widener Course, enters off a narrow victory in the May 11 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) on Belmont's inner course.
Channel Maker breezed four furlongs in :49 flat on the Belmont dirt training track June 2 in his final major preparation for the race.
"He worked very well," Mott said. "We're very happy with him. It was a very nice breeze. He's ready."
Entries: Manhattan S. (G1T)
Belmont Park, Saturday, June 08, 2019, Race 10
- Grade I
- 1 1/4m
- Inner turf
- $1,000,000
- 4 yo's & up
- 5:36 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Raging Bull (FR) | Javier Castellano | 124 | Chad C. Brown | 10/1 |
| 2 | 2Catcho En Die (ARG) | Luis Saez | 116 | Naipaul Chatterpaul | 20/1 |
| 3 | 3Robert Bruce (CHI) | Jose L. Ortiz | 124 | Chad C. Brown | 6/1 |
| 4 | 4Qurbaan (KY) |
Mike E. Smith | 118 | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | 8/1 |
| 5 | 5Channel Cat (KY) | John R. Velazquez | 122 | Todd A. Pletcher | 20/1 |
| 6 | 6Bandua (KY) |
Tyler Gaffalione | 114 | Jack Sisterson | 30/1 |
| 7 | 7Olympico (FR) | Kendrick Carmouche | 116 | Chad C. Brown | 6/1 |
| 8 | 8Bricks and Mortar (KY) |
Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 124 | Chad C. Brown | 7/5 |
| 9 | 9Epical (KY) | Tyler Baze | 118 | James M. Cassidy | 15/1 |
| 10 | 10Channel Maker (ON) |
Joel Rosario | 124 | William I. Mott | 9/2 |