Courtesy of the TDN

10th at BEL, $1,000,000
GI Manhattan S. (1 1/4m)
Winner: Bricks and Mortar by Giant’s Causeway

By Steve Sherack

STONE FARM RAISED AND SOLD

ELMONT, NY – Bricks and Mortar (Giant’s Causeway) came charging down the stretch to lead home a Chad Brown-trained trifecta and continue his domination of the older male turf division in the GI Manhattan S. at Belmont Park Saturday.

This year’s inaugural GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. Jan. 26 and GI Old Forester Turf Classic S. May 4 hero, favored at 3-5, raced in the clear in sixth through sharp fractions of :23.68 and :48.73 over the extremely firm going. The blaze-faced dark bay was let loose on the turn for home, was guided five wide into the stretch and gobbled up ground down the center of the course to collect his third win at the highest level by 1 1/2 convincing lengths.

Grade I-winning stablemates Robert Bruce (Chi) (Fast Company {Ire}) and Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) were second and third, respectively.

“This ranks right up there,” Brown said after registering his fifth Manhattan victory since 2012. “I hold this race in such high regard. To run 1-2-3 in it really points out how fortunate I am to have so many talented horses in my barn. To see the others be not far from Bricks and Mortar gives us hope they are going to have really good years as well.”

The Manhattan marked the fifth straight decision for Bricks and Mortar since returning from a 14-month hiatus. In addition to those aforementioned two Grade I victories this season, the streak also includes a narrow decision in the GII Muniz Memorial H. at Fair Grounds Mar. 23.

“He ran great, he was carrying a lot of weight,” Brown said. “Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] gave him a beautiful trip. Once again, he exploded in the stretch. This horse it just amazes me how consistently he is finishing on the turf. He’s getting good trips, he’s kicking at all different distances. [He’s a] very rare horse.”

The Manhattan put an exclamation point on a spectacular Belmont Stakes Festival for Brown, who also captured Thursday’s GIII Wonder Again S. with Cambier Parc and the GIII Intercontinental S. with Significant Form; Friday’s GIII Bed o’ Roses S. with Separationofpowers and the GII New York S. with Homerique; and Saturday’s GI Longines Just a Game S. with Rushing Fall and GI Acorn S. with Guarana.

“My staff does all the work,” Brown said. “I’m giving the interview, but it’s remarkable the work they put in. This is what it is all about, getting to the big weekends. And I appreciate NYRA putting on such a great weekend.”

Pedigree Notes:

Bricks and Mortar, one of 33 top-level winners for his legendary late sire, is out of French stakes winner Beyond the Waves, who is graded/group stakes-placed in both France and America. She also produced MSW Beyond Smart (Smart Strike), GSW Emerald Beech (Maria’s Mon), GSP Sir Ector (Dynaformer) and SP Water View (Petionville). Beyond the Waves is a half-sister to the dam of GISW Bordonaro (Memo {Chi}) and MSW & GISP Miss Empire (Empire Maker). The latter brought $1.05 million at KEENOV in 2016. The 22-year-old mare has an unraced 3-year-old filly named Davida (Animal Kingdom) and failed to get in foal to Quality Road for both 2017 and 2018, but produced a Runhappy colt Apr. 24 of this year.

Saturday, Belmont Park
MANHATTAN S.-GI, $1,000,000, Belmont, 6-8, 4yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 1:58.11, fm.
1–BRICKS AND MORTAR, 124, h, 5, by Giant’s Causeway
1st Dam: Beyond the Waves (SW & MGSP-Fr & GSP-US,
$187,752), by Ocean Crest
2nd Dam: Excedent, by Exceller
3rd Dam: Broadway Lullaby, by Stage Door Johnny
($200,000 Ylg ’15 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William
Lawrence; B-George Strawbridge (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad
Ortiz, Jr. $535,000. Lifetime Record: 11-9-0-2, $4,303,650.
*1/2 to Emerald Beech (Maria’s Mon), GSW, $269,338; Sir
Ector (Dynaformer), GSP-Ire, $346,730; Beyond Smart (Smart
Strike), MSW-US, $354,044