Bricks and Mortar

Bricks and Mortar began his career as a 3-year-old with a debut victory in February 2017 on the turf at Gulsftream Park. He returned in June at Belmont Park and won again on the grass at one mile. In his stakes debut, Bricks and Mortar won the Manila Stakes on July 4 at Belmont with an exceptionally fast final quarter-mile.

Trainer Chad Brown then opted to test the dark bay or brown colt by Giant's Causeway in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga in August and he responded with another fast-closing victory, reeling in runner-up Yoshida and third-place finisher Big Handsome a few yards from the finish line. Bricks and Mortar finished third in both the Grade 3 Saranas Stakes and Grade 3 Hill Prince Stakes in September and October 2017, respectively, and subsequently was sidelined for more than a year.

Bricks and Mortar returned from more than 14 months off with a victory in an allowance race in December 2018 at Gulfstream Park in a race that served as a prep for the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitatonal Stakes. In the Pegasus World Cup Turf, Bricks and Mortar delivered an absolutely dominant performance on the yielding turf, surging away to a runaway victory for his first career Grade 1 win while earning a whopping $3 million. In his next race, Bricks and Mortar faced a significantly tougher challange late in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Handicap as pacesetter Markitoff battled back tenaciously in deep stretch while carrying 10 pounds less, but Bricks and Mortar got the job done with a final surge to prevail in a photo finish.

The horse was next seen on Derby day in the Old Forester Turf Classic. Sent off as a heavy favorite, Bricks and Mortar was reserved in mid-pack early and swung wide as the field exited the turn for home. Asked for his best, Bricks and Mortar responded willingly to catch Qurbaan just before the wire in another thrilling finish.

Bricks and Morter continued his winning ways in the $1 million, Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes on June 8 at Belmont Park. With regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, he settled nicely in midpack of the 1 ¼-mile turf race and powered clear in the stretch to an impressive 1 ½-length victory, his fourth without a loss in 2019. The streak continued in the Grade 1 Arlington Million Aug. 10 when Bricks and Mortar swept past pacesetter Bandua and runner-up Magic Wand to win by three-quarters of a length as the heavy favorite.

Culminating a campaign for the ages, Bricks and Mortar captured the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita, rallying furiously to edge longshot United by a head. He finished 2019 unbeaten in six starts with five Grade 1 wins and earned over $6.7 million, and was honored as Horse of the Year and Champion Turf Male at the 2019 Eclipse Awards.

Bricks and Mortar's dam (mother), Beyond the Waves, was multiple group-stakes-placed in France and graded-stakes-placed in the U.S.