Chad Brown's brilliant duo of Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) and Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), responsible for 11 combined Grade I scores and seven this season alone, both went out for breezes on the Belmont inner turf Sunday in their penultimate works before engagements in the Breeders' Cup Nov. 2.
Klaravich Stables' Bricks and Mortar, a perfect five-for-five in 2019 and a contender for both champion turf horse and Horse of the Year, covered five furlongs in 1:00.02 (2/10) over the firm grass in company with G1SW Without Parole (Frankel {GB}).
“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 as to whether Bricks and Mortar would race in the $2-million GI TVG Breeders' Cup Mile or the $4-million GI 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, confirming what he told TDN last week.
Sistercharlie, a near certainty to pick up her second consecutive Eclipse Award for champion turf female, went a half-mile in :49.05 (10/16) over the grass in company with stablemate Thais (Fr) (Rio de la Plata) in what Brown termed “maintenance work”. Also registering a breeze for the superstar-laden barn was recent record-setting GI First Lady S. victress Uni (GB) (More Than Ready), who covered four furlongs in :49.53 (13/16) in her first published work since her Keeneland heroics.
Elsewhere on the Breeders' Cup contender worktab at Belmont, West Point Thoroughbreds, William T. Freeman and William Sandbrook's Grade I winner Decorated Invader (Declaration of War) went five panels over the inner turf in 1:00.83 (5/10) Sunday morning with trainer Christophe Clement keeping close watch. The bay was last seen impressively annexing the GI Summer S. at Woodbine.
“I thought he had a very good work this morning,” said Clement. “Irad Ortiz, Jr. was aboard and I'm very excited with how he is doing. He will get one more easy work either Friday or Saturday and then we will look to ship out to California.”
Tobey Morton's Crystalle (Palace Malice), expected to be among the favorites in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, also got in her penultimate Breeders' Cup blowout over the Big Sandy green, going a half-mile in :49.55 (15/16) under Joel Rosario. The dark bay conquered the GII Miss Grillo S. last out at Belmont to follow up a victory in the P.G. Johnson S. this summer at Saratoga.
“She worked very nice and we're on target,” said trainer John Kimmel. “Joel said she worked good and finished up well. I had the last quarter in 22 4/5. She'll do something easy on Saturday morning. She's fit. So maybe something a little better than a two-minute lick to get her a little sharper.”
At Keeneland, Wesley Ward worked a trio of possible contenders for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, each working a half-mile over the firm turf. Stonestreet Stables' unbeaten Cambria (Speightstown), winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint S., went a half-mile in company in :49.80 (4/12), Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari (Munnings), a dual stakes winner who was also second in the G2 Queen Mary S., worked in :48.40 (1/12), also in company, and GIII Futurity S. winner Four Wheel Drive (American Pharoah) covered the distance in :50 flat (5/12) while flying solo.
At Santa Anita, MGISW Paradise Woods (Union Rags), last seen winning the GII Zenyatta S., went a full six furlongs in 1:13.60 (2/9) for trainer John Shirreffs, while GI Frizette S. heroine Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) traveled five furlongs in company with barnmate and fellow GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies contender Shoplifted (Into Mischief) in 1:03.60 (49/57) for trainer Steve Asmussen. Asmussen said that GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff favorite Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) is scheduled to work Monday morning at 6:30 a.m. under Mike Smith, while GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile contender Omaha Beach (War Front) galloped a mile and a half Sunday morning and is expected to have his final pre-Breeders' Cup breeze Wednesday or Thursday, according to trainer Richard Mandella.
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