From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (May 21, 2022) — Brickyard Ride, a versatile and valiant California-bred son of Clubhouse Ride, was nominated to four stakes on Memorial Day weekend but will remain in open company and run in the Grade II Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs next Sunday, trainer Craig Lewis said this morning.
A five-year-old full horse owned and bred by Alfred Pais, Brickyard Ride has four gears: fast, faster, fastest and adios, and has used them all winning 12 of 22 lifetime starts, the last four in a row, in a main track sprint against Cal-breds, a one-mile dirt race against Cal-breds, a downhill turf sprint against Cal-breds, and a Grade III stakes against open company in the Kona Gold.
Lewis rarely has instructions for the rider of Brickyard Ride, Juan Hernandez, other than, “Good luck.” Santa Anita’s top jock has ridden the chestnut in his last seven races, winning five.
“That’s pretty much it (in the way of pre-race advice),” the sometimes-succinct but erudite Lewis said. “He’s a tough horse around the barn who shows his tenacity on the track. We’ve had a nice run with him and he’s been very good to us.
“We have no nickname for him; simply call him ‘Brickyard’ and plan to keep him running as a full horse as long as he’s doing well, but you never know with horses. Anything can happen.
“We just hope he stays good and keeps delivering, but winning five in a row is no easy task. You can’t even do that with cheap horses. We’re asking a lot; hopefully he can deliver.”