Golden State Series Tor’s Echo Stakes

© BENOIT PHOTO

Alfred Pais’ homebred Brickyard Ride motors to victory in the Thor’s Echo at Santa Anita

YARDS OF TALENT

BRICKYARD RIDE GETS CHECKERED FLAG IN THOR’S ECHO

BY TRACY GANTZ

If Brickyard Ride had to encounter poor racing luck, he chose wisely. Following two stakes wins and a stakes-placing this year, he competed in allowance company and lost all chance with a lousy start. Te California-bred colt more than made up for that by adding another stakes victory, in the $100,500 Tor’s Echo Stakes at Santa Anita June 12.

“I don’t like to make excuses for my horses,” said trainer Craig Lewis. “But he was pretty much eliminated last time. He hit the gate and then he ducked in real bad. He just lost his best attribute, which is speed.”

Lewis knows his horse. Brickyard Ride is one of the fastest sprinters California has produced in recent years. He proved it yet again in the six-furlong Tor’s Echo, named for the California-bred Eclipse Award-winning sprinter of 2006.

Six entered the Tor’s Echo, and Brickyard Ride, the 8-5 favorite, had to face other talented sprinters. Fashionably Fast had been voted co-champion Cal-bred sprinter of 2020. Colt Fiction had won that allowance race Brickyard Ride lost, and Loud Mouth had fnished second in it. Jamming Eddy and Whooping Jay are stakes-placed sons of now-pensioned Square Eddie.

Juan Hernandez rode Brickyard Ride for the frst time in a race for the Tor’s Echo, though he had worked the colt in a bullet :58 for fve furlongs June 4.

“When I worked him, he just took of,” said Hernandez. “When the pony let me go, he just took of, and I didn’t know if I could hold him.”

Lewis told Hernandez that Brickyard Ride would be fne in the race and instructed the jockey to be sure they got away from the gate cleanly. Hernandez followed instructions, and Brickyard Ride broke perfectly, fastest of the feld.

“I never bothered him—he felt comfortable the whole way,” said Hernandez.

Brickyard Ride was indeed comfortable and dictated the entire race. He sped along with a frst quarter-mile in :22.62 and a half-mile in :45.16. But he had plenty left for the stretch run, when he pulled away from the feld easily. At the wire Brickyard Ride stopped the timer in 1:09.34, defeating Colt Fiction by 43⁄4 lengths. Fashionably Fast fnished third.

“I just felt like he trained well, and we know he’s a brilliant horse when he’s right,” said Lewis. “Juan knew he had a lot of horse under him.”

Lewis trains Brickyard Ride for Alfred “Sonny” Pais, who bred and owns the 4-year-old son of Clubhouse Ride— Brickyard Helen, by Southern Image. Lewis trained Clubhouse Ride, a millionaire and now a top California sire. Pais and Lewis currently own the mare, who has two other winners and was bred back to Clubhouse Ride this year. Her 6-yearold, Big Barrel, a Cal-bred son of Surf Cat, has continued to win this year at Turf Paradise.

Pais enjoyed another victory by his homebred star.

“He goes fast easily,” said the owner. “But today there was nobody pushing him. It’s good to have Juan. He’s an experienced rider, and he makes good decisions.”

Brickyard Ride raised his lifetime earnings to $464,477 and has a bright future. Lewis said he might point for the July 31 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.