Breaking like a shot from post position six in a field of nine, Brickyard Ride outfooted 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Storm the Court while under restraint in the early running and was merely a chestnut blur around the far turn.  With just three taps of the stick to keep him focused, Brickyard Ride cruised to the wire, where he received a congratulatory pat on the right shoulder from Centeno, who celebrated his first-ever graded stakes victory.

“Well, speed kills and he killed today, with his speed,” said Lewis, who also trained Clubhouse Ride.  “He's blessed with a lot of natural speed obviously, he's learning how to relax.  He's maturing, he's a big powerful horse.  He reached for (more) ground like a horse that could run forever.  He's starting to look like he could be the goods.”

A 3 ¼ length winner of the six-furlong Don Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint on Jan. 16, Brickyard Ride was off at 5-1, a considerable overlay off of his morning line of 3-1, and paid $12.00, $5.40 and $4.20.

“This is of big significance to me,” said Centeno, a 27-year-old Puerto Rican native.  “Craig Lewis gave me the opportunity to work this horse and since I've been on him, he's run well for me and he's comfortable with me.”

Out of the Southern Image mare Brickyard Helen, Brickyard Ride collected his first graded stakes win and his seventh overall victory from 13 starts.  With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $380,277.

Fellow Cal-bred Tigre Di Slugo, who was second to the winner in the Cal Cup Sprint, rallied well for second today, finishing a nose better than Exaulted.  The 5-2 favorite with Joel Rosario, Tigre Di Slugo paid $3.80 and $2.80.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Exaulted was off at 6-1 and paid $3.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.63, 43.93 and 1:08.49.

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Named in honor of the longtime owner/breeder Donald Valpredo, the Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint is part of the CTBA's lucrative Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

With a two-length advantage at the quarter pole over Jamming Eddy, Brickyard Ride widened late and easily prevailed over post time favorite Tigre Di Slugo.

“I felt pretty good about it because I thought we had them double teamed, we knew we were going to try to speed away with Brickyard because he's got wicked speed,” said Lewis, who had also ran late-running Club Aspen (who finished sixth) and trained the winner's sire, Clubhouse Ride.  “We've learned now that he just watches (when running head and head), so we don't try to take him back, we just let him roll.”

Well beaten in an open classified allowance going five furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 12, Brickyard Ride, in his first stakes assignment, was off at 9-2 in a field of 11 older horses and paid $11.80, $6.60 and $5.00.

“I believed in my horse and just went to the lead and (didn't) look back, just go,” said Centeno, an apprentice who recorded his first-ever stakes victory and has now won three out of his four engagements with Brickyard Ride.  “I love this horse.”

Out of the Southern Image mare Brickyard Helen, Brickyard Ride improved his overall mark to 12-6-0-2.  With the winner's share of $90,000, he boosted his earnings to $260,277.

Tigre Di Slugo, who had to wait for racing room around the turn, finished well at the rail to be second by a nose over highly accomplished Fashionably Fast.  Off at 2-1 with Joel Rosario, Tigre Di Slugo paid $3.80 and $3.20.

Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Fashionably Fast finished a neck in front of Loud Mouth and paid $3.40 to show while off at 3-1.

Fractions on the race were 21.63, 44.35 and 56.50.

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