Bricks and Mortar goes for sweep
With his three-quarters of a length victory in the Hall of Fame Stakes (G2) fresh in mind, Bricks and Mortar has been tabbed as the 8/5 favorite in the $300,000 Saranac Stakes (G3) on Saturday’s Woodward undercard. The win kept the son of Giant’s Causeway unbeaten in four starts, which also include the ungraded Manila Stakes at Belmont. This will be his first crack at 1 1/8 miles. Joel Rosario retains the mount.
The Japanese-bred Yoshida, runner-up to the top choice in the Hall of Fame, is second on the morning line at 5/2. The son of Heart’s Cry broke his maiden at the 1 1/8mile distance back in April. He also owns a win in the ungraded J. W. Murphy Stakes.
Rocketry (6-1) will be making his stakes debut in the Saranac. The Hard Spun colt, who went for $450,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, has been out of the money in just one of six starts. Last out, he won an 11-furlong opening-level allowance by a length and a half.
Mr Havercamp (8-1) cruised through his first two career starts, both at Woodbine, breaking his maiden by 3½ lengths and then routing winners by 8½. This will be the first try at 1 1/8 miles for the Court Vision gelding. Mr Havercamp is conditioned by Catherine Day-Phillips, who won this race with Jambalaya in 2005.
Voodoo Song (12-1) tries deeper waters after racing almost exclusively in statebred company. The son of English Channel will be going for his fourth win – in the space of 42 days – at Saratoga this summer.
Other Saranac starters include Master Plan (10-1), Mo Maverick (10-1), Caviar Czar (15-1) and Makarios (20-1).