Trophy time: 5 Eclipse takeaways from the Breeders' Cup

Considering some championship implications from Breeders' Cup Saturday...

Bricks and Mortar poised to join esteemed company

With 10 victories from 12 starts in his career, we knew Bricks and Mortar was a win machine, but there were genuine question marks about the son of Giant's Causeway being able to negotiate the Breeders' Cup Turf's distance fast enough to translate into another score.

Bricks and Mortar had never run this far before, and trainer Chad Brown mulled the decision of which Breeders' Cup race to run in for weeks: the Turf or Mile? He chose wisely as Bricks and Mortar had just enough to get up at the wire for a head win over United.

Things looked dicey around the far turn as Bricks and Mortar was surrounded by horses on all sides. Credit jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. for not panicking, steering his charge to the outside for clear running in the stretch. Bricks and Mortar can indeed win at 12 furlongs.

That's a 6-for-6 campaign completed and, five of those wins were Grade 1 events.

As the clear front-runner to collect the Eclipse for Horse of the Year, Bricks and Mortar is set to join Wise Dan, Kotashaan, and John Henry as the only grass horses to win the title in the Breeders' Cup era.

Mitole states case for multiple championships

Running hard since early March, Mitole capped off his career with a powerful stretch run from off the pace to reel in the 3-year-old speedster, Shancelot in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. 

The key for Mitole? Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr's quick decision right out of the gate, when he looked to his right and saw that the fellow speedster, Shancelot, would get company on the lead in Matera Sky. Knowing that would prevent slower fractions, he held Mitole back, and the future champ cooperated. Willingness to relax in all likelihood won Mitole this race.

With that his fourth Grade 1 victory this season, Mitole finished the year 6-for-7 overall. The surefire winner of the male sprinter award should also win the older dirt male Eclipse. No other older runner can match his amount of Grade 1 wins or his resume, regardless of distance.

Breeders' Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso, his chief rival for that award, won two Grade 1 races this season.

Maximum Security's back in control

Entering Saturday, it was a three-horse race for the 3-year-old male Eclipse. Most would have considered Maximum Security or Code of Honor the leaders, with Omaha Beach right behind.

Of course, only two of those stood to add major victories to their resumes, but neither Code of Honor (Classic) nor Omaha Beach (Dirt Mile) helped their case.

Maximum Security, who bypassed the Breeders' Cup, is now the clear favorite for the Eclipse in a division that has seen more than its fair share of controversy this season. Although he may make one more Grade 1 start this season, in my opinion Maximum Security doesn’t need to win it to sew up the Eclipse given two Grade 1 wins and a first-across-the-wire performance in the Kentucky Derby that should resonate with voters.

Midnight Bisou's Horse of the Year bid ends

The good news for fans of Midnight Bisou is that she will not be retired and sold next week as was the original plan. She'll instead be back in training at age 5.

The bad news for those backers is she came up short Saturday, suffering her only loss of the season in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. That effectively ended her Horse of the Year bid.

Jockey Joe Bravo, who was aboard Blue Prize, asked his mare for run, and she quickly spurted clear of Midnight Bisou, giving the eventual winner first run while putting a three-length gap between rivals. Jockey Mike Smith pushed the button on Midnight Bisou, and she responded. But it was too late.

Midnight Bisou will still no doubt win the Older Dirt Female championship. 

Uni turns the tables on Got Stormy in the Turf Mile

Back in August, Uni and Got Stormy tackled the males in the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga. Got Stormy got the better of Uni that day.

On Saturday, it was quite a spectacle to see both of these ladies spring clear of the Breeders' Cup Mile field in a stretch, where Uni took her turn at a major victory.

Trainer Chad Brown knew that Uni could spurt away at will going into the Mile, but he went a step further Saturday, saying afterward, "She ranks right up there with the best turn of foot I've ever trained".

It will be tough for Uni to overtake her stablemate, Sistercharlie, for the Champion Turf Female award. Both finished with identical 3-for-4 records on the season, but Sistercharlie's three Grade 1 wins will likely trump Uni's two.