With a horse as versatile as Brickyard Ride , owner/breeder Alfred (Sonny) Pais and trainer Craig Lewis had a plethora of options over Memorial Day weekend at Santa Anita Park. A sprinter whose devastating front-running speed has wilted many rivals, Brickyard Ride has also proved more than capable around two turns and on the turf.
Pais and Lewis logically have opted for the $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) May 29. Not only does it have the highest purse and grade of their four options, its seven furlongs on the dirt play to Brickyard Ride's most brilliant talents. Brickyard Ride is set to face five rivals and drew post 4 with regular rider Juan Hernandez.
After Brickyard Ride zipped home by 2 1/4 lengths in the April 30 Kona Gold Stakes (G3) at 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt, Pais discussed the possibilities for his next start.
"They have four races in a month," he said. "I'm sure if all goes well, we'll be in one of those."
As a California-bred, Brickyard Ride could go in either the $100,000 Thor's Echo Stakes at six furlongs, a race he won last year, or the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes at a mile on the turf, both slated for May 28 as two of five stakes for Cal-breds and California-sired runners. In his two races prior to the Kona Gold, Brickyard Ride captured the Tiznow Stakes at a mile on dirt and the Sensational Star Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlong on Santa Anita's downhill turf course. The latter also opened up the final possibility—the $100,000 Daytona Stakes (G3T) May 29 over the same course and distance.
Pais said that their choice would also depend on where others went, saying, "I don't want to meet Flightline any time soon." But Brickyard Ride also scares others off.
Mike Puype, trainer of Kona Gold second and fellow Cal-bred Tigre Di Slugo, put his gelding in the Thor's Echo and stated emphatically, "We're running where Brickyard Ride ain't."
Should Brickyard Ride win the Triple Bend, it would be his fifth consecutive stakes victory, all coming at the current Santa Anita meeting. Only Round Table in 1957-58 has put together five consecutive stakes wins during a single Santa Anita meeting.
Brickyard Ride, a son of Clubhouse Ride—Brickyard Helen, by Southern Image, has developed a fan base, Pais said, adding, "People like to watch horses like him; they remember horses like him."
None of Brickyard Ride's Triple Bend rivals has won a stakes in 2022. Fellow Cal-bred Principe Carlo has perhaps the best recent form. Winner of last year's Cary Grant Stakes for Cal-breds and Cal-sired runners, the 6-year-old son of Coil ran second in the March 5 San Carlos Stakes Presented by FanDuel (G2). Kyle Frey rides from post 5 for trainer Librado Barocio, who claimed Principe Carlo for $20,000 in late 2020, and Barocio's Mia Familia Racing Stable.
Exaulted, a 5-year-old son of Twirling Candy owned by C R K Stable and trained by Peter Eurton, hasn't started since finishing third in the 2021 Triple Bend.
"We just gave him time for some minor stuff," Eurton said. "It turned out to be longer than we thought, but he's good to go now. We're very pleased with the way he's training. It's a tough race, but we're all looking forward to it because he's pretty tough too."
Edwin Maldonado pilots Exaulted from post 2.
The rest of the field includes 2020 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) winner Get Her Number (Ramon Vazquez, post 1) for trainer Ruben Alvarado, 2019 American Pharoah second American Theorem (Joe Bravo, post 3) for trainer George Papaprodromou, and allowance optional claiming winner Elector (Ricardo Gonzalez, post 6) for trainer John Sadler. Elector is also entered in the May 30 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3) at Lone Star Park.
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, May 29, 2022, Race 4Entries: Triple Bend S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Get Her Number (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 120 Ruben D. Alvarado 12/1 2 2Exaulted (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 120 Peter Eurton 5/1 3 3American Theorem (KY) Joe Bravo 120 George Papaprodromou 8/1 4 4Brickyard Ride (CA) Juan J. Hernandez 122 Craig Anthony Lewis 4/5 5 5Principe Carlo (CA) Kyle Frey 120 Librado Barocio 6/1 6 6Elector (KY) Ricardo Gonzalez 120 John W. Sadler 3/1
