Brown ‘Leaning Toward’ Turf For Horse Of The Year Candidate Bricks And Mortar

It was a busy Sunday morning for trainer Chad Brown, who sent out numerous turf workers in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita.

Four-time Grade 1 winner and Horse of the Year candidate Bricks and Mortar worked in company with Without Parole, winner of last year’s Group 1 St. James’s Palace at Royal Ascot, over the inner turf. Bricks and Mortar completed his five-furlong breeze in 1:00.02 while Without Parole went 1:00.01 – the fastest of 10 recorded works at the distance.

“He’s in top form. He’s got one more work and he’s been doing great,” Brown said of Bricks and Mortar.

Brown has been on the fence on whether Bricks and Mortar would race in the Grade 1 $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile or the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf but said he is leaning toward the latter.

“I’m going to pre-enter in both races but right now I’m leaning toward the Turf,” Brown said.

Owned by Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence, Bricks and Mortar kicked off a sensational campaign with a victory in the inaugural running of Gulfstream Park’s Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational in January. After winning the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds in March, he won his next three starts, all of which were against Grade 1 company when taking the Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, the Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park and the Arlington Million at Arlington Park.

Also appearing on the Sunday work tab for Brown was defending Champion Turf Female Sistercharlie,who went in company with stablemate Thais. Both owned by Peter Brant, they went a half-mile in 49.05 over the inner turf.

“It was just maintenance work. She worked with Thais and she worked really well,” Brown said.

Sistercharlie is being pointed for a repeat victory in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She will arrive at this year’s edition of the event off of six consecutive victories, all Grade 1, the most recent of which took place in the Flower Bowl Invitational on October 6 at Belmont Park.

A win in the Filly and Mare Turf would make Sistercharlie the first horse to score back-to-back wins in the event. Ouija Board notched two non-consecutive efforts of the Filly and Mare Turf in 2004 and 2006.

Thais, third in the Flower Bowl, also is being pointed towards the Filly and Mare Turf.

Two-time Grade 1-winner Uni recorded her first work since winning the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland when breezing a half-mile in 49.53 seconds.

Owned by Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta and Bethlehem Stables, the 5-year-old daughter of More Than Ready will face males in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile. She was third against colts two starts back in the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga.

Brown also worked Juddmonte Farms’ Flavius, a three-time starter who has not yet raced in the United States. The son of War Front, out of four-time graded stakes winning Dynaformer broodmare Starformer, has worked five times since joining Brown’s barn and is getting closer to making his North American debut. He last raced one year ago to date when taking a non-grouped stake event at Leopardstown in Ireland for former trainer Dermot Weld.

“He’s doing fine. He’s come along well. He’s not ready to run, but he’s getting close. Probably a couple of more works away,” Brown said.