Bricks and Mortar continued his winning ways and gave trainer Chad Brown his fourth stakes win on the day, two each at Churchill Downs and Belmont Park, when running down Qurbaan in late strech to register a popular half-length victory in the $1 million, Grade 1 Turf Classic.  Clyde's Image finished third.   

Earlier in the day, Brown sent out Digital Age to overtake pace setter A Thread of Blue to capture the Grade 2 American Turf.  Both of Brown's graded stakes wins here came at the direct expense of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains both Qurbaan and A Thread of Blue.  Both Bricks and Mortar and Digital Age were ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr. 

Bricks and Mortar raced in mid-pack during the early stages of the one mile and one eighth Turf Classic, angled out to the middle of the course at mid-stretch and finished full of run to be along in the final strides. Qurbaan raced well placed while saving ground early, forged to command outside Clyde's Image nearing mid-stretch but could not withstand the winner.

The victory was the fourth in a row for Bricks and Mortar since returning from a 14 month layoff to win an allowance race at Gulfstream Park in December. He won the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf the following month and the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Handicap in his most recent start.

Bricks and Mortar, a 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway, covered the distance in 1:51.80 over a course officially listed as "firm" and paid $4.20.

Complete details on the Turf Classic coming shortly from Marty McGee at drf.com