ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER LEAD FOR BRICKS AND MORTAR IN NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL

Alicia Hughes/NTRA —-

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 1, 2019) – It was another standard week for Bricks and Mortar as the Chad Brown trainee continues to work toward his expected start in the Grade 1 Arlington Million on August 10 while maintaining his position at the head of the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.

Bricks and Mortar, who is currently on a five-race win streak including Grade 1 victories in the Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs and the Manhattan at Belmont last out, breezed in company with stablemate and fellow Grade 1 winner Raging Bull (FR) at Belmont Park on June 30, covering five furlongs in 1:00.63. The son of Giant’s Causeway garnered 28 first-place votes and 351 points this week to retain the top spot in the poll, a distinction he has held since April 8.

There was no change in the remainder of the top ten as multiple Grade 1 winner Mitole (6 first-place votes, 318 points) and stablemate Midnight Bisou (2 first-place votes, 243 points) continue to sit second and third, respectively. The Bob Baffert-trained McKinzie remains fourth with 227 points while World of Trouble (189 points) holds in fifth.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Catholic Boy, who is pointed to the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on July 6, is sixth with 122 points followed by Seeking the Soul (108 points) in seventh. Multiple Grade 1 winner Rushing Fall earned 103 points to remain eighth with Thunder Snow (IRE) (69 points), and Vino Rosso (68) completing the top ten.

The Top Thoroughbred Poll wraps up November 4 after the running of the Breeders’ Cup.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport’s most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll.

The full results for the NTRA Thoroughbred Poll can be found on the NTRA website at:

https://www.ntra.com/ntra-top-thoroughbred-poll-july-1-2019/

Full accounting of top 10 votes by voter can be found at:

https://www.ntra.com/wp-content/uploads/Polls-week23-by_voter-2019.pdf

Cover Photo: Bricks and Mortar; Lauren King Photo