Bricks And Mortar

Purse $175.00 – For Three Year Olds

7 Furlongs – Turf

Belmont Park – October 10, 2026

Belmont Park adds a new race to its schedule this year with the inaugural Bricks and Mortar! Its namesake won the 2019 Grade One Manhattan at Belmont Park on his way to an unbeaten season and Horse of the Year honors. Now nine three-year-olds will go seven furlongs on the grass, with one set to become the race’s first winner. Several of the nine entrants have already won on turf, while a couple are cutting back from longer distances. Ken Allan’s Swayback Cup holds the fastest time by a three-year-old going seven furlongs on the Belmont grass, stopping the clock in 1:19.58, which was done back in 2007. This tricky 7/8‘s trip will ask these three-year-olds for both sprint speed and a strong finish. Which of the nine will handle that test best and become the first Bricks and Mortar winner? Let’s take a closer look at the contenders!

1. Forgotten Shark – (Mo Mentum Farm, S. Marin) Forgotten Shark has made considerable progress since Mo Mentum Farm claimed him from Martyparty for $6.25 out of his maiden win at TAM back in April. He moved to the grass next time out and won a 6½-furlong N1X allowance at WO by 1¼ lengths. A third and a second in two-turn turf races followed before this gelding picked up another victory going a mile in July. He then missed by a neck in a dirt optional claimer and stepped into graded company for the Simpson (G2) at KD last time out. Forgotten Shark finished fourth there, beaten only three-quarters of a length over 6½ furlongs on the grass. Two wins, a second, and a third from five turf starts suggest he’s ready for this seven-furlong test.

2. Express Run – (Alydar Stables, E J. Zayas) Alydar Stables’ homebred won three times on grass last year as a two-year-old, progressing from a maiden victory at FE to allowance wins at AQU and FG. Express Run opened 2026 with a one-mile dirt stakes victory, then finished fourth in the TAM Derby (G3) after a poor showing in the Lewis Stakes (G3). Returning to grass, this Texas-bred missed by a length in the Jersey Derby at MTH in May. He followed with fifth-place finishes in the Saranac and Mahony (G3) last time out, beaten only three lengths combined, respectively. Express Run has three wins and a second from seven turf starts, with success at both sprint and route distances. Seven furlongs could be a good middle ground as he looks for his first grass triumph of the year.

3. Terafunk – (Maletto, A. Fresu) Connections purchased Terafunk from Team 7 Illusions for $20.00 in June, and has since won twice on the grass. He finished 10th on dirt in his first start for his new owner, however he returned to turf and won a 5½-furlong N1X by a length after being gelded in late July. The son of Terabyte followed that with a three-quarter-length victory in the one-mile NYSS-Calloway stakes in August. Terafunk then stretched out to 1 5/16 miles for the Nashville Derby (G2) last time out at KD, where he raced near the lead before fading to seventh. Cutting back to seven furlongs should better suit a horse whose three turf wins have come from 5½ furlongs to a mile. The question is whether he can bounce back from that graded stakes effort.

4. New Yorks Finest – (Big Jd Racing, J L. Ortiz) With fifteen career starts, New Yorks Finest is the most experienced horse in the field. He has made thirteen of those starts on turf, with two wins, two seconds and four thirds, including a victory in last year’s six-furlong Bongard Stakes. The homebred for Big Jd Racing added a third in the Columbia Stakes this spring before winning a 1 1/16-mile N1X allowance at Keeneland. More recently, New Yorks Finest finished fourth in the Violette at Saratoga and fourteenth in the Nashville Derby (G2) at Kentucky Downs. The return to a shorter distance could suit a horse whose stakes win came sprinting on the grass. Like many other rivals entered this year, this is a big closer, so watch out for him late. This gelding obviously needs a fast pace.

5. Empire Of Sod – (Nakamura Stables, Ru. Silvera) Empire Of Sod has won four of nine starts this year, including three straight from April through June. The last came in a mile optional claimer at Churchill Downs, where he won by 1 1/4 lengths. He followed that victory with fifth-place finishes in the Violette at Saratoga and the Toronto Cup Stakes at Woodbine, beaten just one length in each stakes race. The son of The Sodfather was the betting favorite in both, showing how much respect he earned during that winning streak. All four of his wins have come at a mile or longer, making this seven-furlong trip shorter than any distance at which he has won. A string of sharp turf workouts at Belmont Park suggests Empire Of Sod is ready for the change. One to watch.

6. Sinister Returns – (Simmer Down Stable, F. Prat) Simmer Down Stable claimed Sinister Returns from La Canada Racehorses for $18.00 in June, and the gelding has since put together two strong stakes efforts. He missed by a neck in the 5 1/2-furlong My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth before finishing fourth, beaten just three-quarters of a length, in the Mahony (G3) at Saratoga. This New York-bred’s turf record stands at three wins and five seconds from ten starts, with all three victories coming at five or six furlongs. Earlier this year, he won a six-furlong claimer at Aqueduct and finished second in two other open claiming races. Seven furlongs is farther than Sinister Returns has raced before, making stamina the main question. This is another one who needs a fast pace upfront.

7. Evil Contained – (Greyhound, J J. Castellano) Evil Contained is still looking for his first turf win, but he has been close in three of his four starts on the sod—all against stakes company. He was third in the Shear Mile at The Great Race Place, fourth by three-quarters of a length in the Walker at Churchill Downs, and second by a neck in the My Frenchman at Monmouth. Last time out, the son of Demon finished seventh in the Mahony (G3, just two lengths behind the winner. All three of this colt’s victories have come on dirt, including a six-furlong allowance win at Sunland earlier this year. Greyhound claimed Evil Contained for $5.00 in July 2025, and he has since become a regular in turf stakes. Could be competitive if he handles the extra distance, but seven furlongs is farther than he has raced before.

8. Wolfman Jack – (Spankys Barn, K. Carmouche) This son of Neon Wolf has made all eight of his starts on turf, winning twice. He broke his maiden at a mile at Santa Anita second time out, then cut back to 5 1/2 furlongs to win an allowance in August. Between those victories, Wolfman Jack finished second in a mile N1X at Saratoga and fifth in the Pennine Ridge (G3). He was ninth in the Simpson (G2) at Kentucky Downs last time out, though he finished only two lengths behind the winner in a 12-horse field. Seven furlongs falls between the distances of his two wins and could prove a good fit. This colt will need to rebound from the Simpson, but his Saratoga allowance victory shows what he can do sprinting on turf. Could be an interesting longshot play in here.

9. Bhamo Road – (Ajm Stables, J. Lezcano) Bhamo Road is the only horse in the field without a turf start, making his surface switch a major question. He has been effective on dirt, winning four of eight starts and finishing second twice. Ajm Stables bought him for $50.00 in May, days after he won a six-furlong optional claimer. This Arkansas-bred then missed by a nose at Churchill Downs before winning another six-furlong optional claimer at Saratoga. In his first graded-stakes attempt, Bhamo Road finished seventh in the Gallant Bob (G2) at Parx, beaten only two lengths. A recent turf workout at Belmont offers some encouragement, but this will be his first race on grass and his first at seven furlongs. He will also need to save as much ground as possible from the outside post.

– AJM

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded