Bricks and Mortar headlines list of Eclipse Award finalists

Associated PressJan 7, 2020, 6:27 PM EST

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) Bricks and Mortar had a perfect 2019 record and might have a couple more trophies coming his way.

The leading money-winning horse in North America last year headlines the three Eclipse Award finalists for Horse of the Year, to be presented at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 23. Bricks and Mortar, Breeders’ Cup sprint winner Mitole and Maximum Security — the would-have-been winner of the Kentucky Derby — are the Horse of the Year contenders.

Bricks and Mortar went 6 for 6 last year, five of those wins coming in Grade 1 races, and won just over $6.7 million. Bricks and Mortar is also a finalist for Male Turf Horse of the Year, which he’s a lock to win.

“We’ve never had a Horse of the Year,” Bricks and Mortar trainer Chad Brown said late last year. “So if he’s fortunate enough to get that award and for his body of work and for what he’s overcome, all those things go into putting him right at the top as the best we have had.”

Brown is a finalist for top trainer; if he wins, he’ll join Laz Barrera, Todd Pletcher and Bobby Frankel as the only in Eclipse history to claim that trophy four consecutive times.

Bricks and Mortar didn’t race for more than a year because of a ligament problem that required complicated surgery. His road back to the track in December 2018 after a 15-month layoff wasn’t easy.

And really, none of his races since has been easy, either.

Bricks and Mortar rallied in the final strides to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf by a head over 51-1 shot United, which was fitting given how virtually all his races in 2019 were decided at the very end. He started the year with a 2-1/2 length win in the Pegasus World Cup Turf race at Gulfstream — and his next five races were decided by less than three lengths combined.

Mitole won six of seven starts, and Maximum Security won seven of nine starts. Maximum Security crossed the line first in the Kentucky Derby, only to be disqualified after stewards ruled that he interfered with several other horses as the lead pack turned for home at Churchill Downs.

Mitole is also a finalist for Older Dirt Male, and Maximum Security is the likely winner of the 3-year-old male trophy.

The full list of finalists:

Horse of the Year: Bricks and Mortar, Maximum Security, Mitole

2-Year-Old Male: Maxfield, Storm the Court, Structor

2-Year-Old Filly: Bast, British Idiom, Sharing

3-Year-Old Male: Code of Honor, Maximum Security, Omaha Beach

3-Year-Old Filly: Covfefe, Guarana, Serengeti Empress

Older Dirt Male: McKinzie, Mitole, Vino Rosso

Older Dirt Female: Blue Prize, Elate, Midnight Bisou

Male Sprinter: Imperial Hint, Mitole, World of Trouble

Female Sprinter: Belvoir Bay, Come Dancing, Covfefe

Male Turf Horse: Bricks and Mortar, Mo Forza, World of Trouble

Female Turf Horse: Got Stormy, Sistercharlie, Uni

Steeplechase Horse: Brain Power, Scorpiancer, Winston C

Owner: Gary Barber, Peter Brant, Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence

Breeder: Calumet Farm, Godolphin, George Strawbridge Jr.

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Chad Brown, Brad Cox

Jockey: Javier Castellano, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Jose Ortiz

Apprentice Jockey: Julio Correa, Angel Diaz, Kazushi Kimura

Forte is slight 5-2 favorite for Belmont Stakes over stablemate Tapit Trice

Associated PressJun 6, 2023, 1:56 PM EDT

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Forte is finally getting a crack at running in a Triple Crown race. The colt, who was scratched the day of the Kentucky Derby, is the early favorite for the Belmont Stakes.

Forte, last year’s 2-year-old champion, was made the slight 5-2 favorite for the grueling 1 1/2-mile race.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the colt will break from the No. 6 post in the nine-horse field at Belmont Park. Pletcher’s other horse, Tapit Trice, is the 3-1 second choice and drew the No. 2 post.

Forte was the early Derby favorite, but was scratched by Kentucky officials the morning of the May 6 race because of a bruised right foot. He was on a vets’ list that kept him out of the Preakness, but has since come off it.

“He’s doing great, he’s training really well. He hasn’t missed any training,” said Mike Repole, co-owner of Forte. “We still think this is the best 3-year-old in the crop and he’s going to prove that.”

Mage, the Kentucky Derby winner, is skipping the Triple Crown finale after finishing third in the Preakness on May 20.

Angel of Empire is the third choice at 7-2. He finished third in the Derby and is one of three horses in the race trained by Brad Cox.

National Treasure, the Preakness winner trained by Bob Baffert, is 5-1. He drew the No. 4 post.

Arcangelo is 8-1 and will break from the No. 3 post. He is trained by Jena Antonucci, who will try to become the first woman trainer to win the Belmont.

The other four entries are listed at double-digit odds.

The Belmont field, in post position order, with jockeys and odds:

Tapit Shoes, Jose Ortiz, 20-1; Tapit Trice, Luis Saez, 3-1, Arcangelo, Javier Castellano, 8-1; National Treasure, 5-1, John Velazquez; Il Miracolo, 30-1, Marcos Meneses; Forte, 5-2, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Hit Show, 10-1, Manny Franco; Angel of Empire, Flavien Prat, 7-2; Red Route One, Joel Rosario, 15-1.

Preakness winner National Treasure has final workout for Belmont Stakes

Associated PressJun 5, 2023, 2:01 PM EDT

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK — Preakness winner National Treasure breezed five furlongs in his final workout for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes this weekend.

Working on the main track at Belmont Park with exercise rider Erick Garcia aboard, National Treasure was timed in 59.55 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.20 and seven furlongs in 1:25.20. It was the second workout on the track for the Bob Baffert-trained colt.

“He worked very well this morning,” said Jimmy Barnes, Baffert’s top assistant. “It’s a big track and you can find yourself lost out there. Erick did an excellent job working him and now we’re just waiting for the race.”

National Treasure was fourth in the Santa Anita Derby before the Preakness on May 20.

Trainer Steve Asmussen’s Red Route One also posted his final work for the final jewel of the Triple Crown, breezing a half-mile in 50.20 seconds over Belmont Park’s dirt training track.

“I thought he went beautiful,” said Toby Sheets, Asmussen’s Belmont-based assistant. “It was nice and fluid and he came back with good energy. I’m very happy with him. We wanted to be out on the track before it got really busy.”

Red Route One finished fourth in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course, almost five lengths behind National Treasure.

Kentucky Derby winner Mage is not running in the Belmont Stakes.