Gold Square’s Two Out Hero, who has already placed in a Grade 1 race, appears to have found his ideal distance for Saturday’s first-ever $175,000 Bricks and Mortar—a seven-furlong turf race on the Widener course at Belmont Park tailored for three-year-olds. Trained by Kevin Attard, Two Out Hero recently finished second-to-last in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs on September 7. In that race, the War Front colt rallied from sixth out of twelve horses to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind European contender Take Charge Star, while edging out Grade 3 winner Alpyland by a head for second place.
Previously, Two Out Hero won a seven-furlong optional claiming race against older horses by half a length over War Strategy, a next-out winner, in August at Woodbine Racetrack. Attard praised the horse’s strong performance at Woodbine and noted his promising follow-up effort against fellow three-year-olds at Kentucky Downs, describing the latter as a highly competitive race in which Two Out Hero did well. He added that the colt likely excels up to a one-turn mile distance thanks to his tactical speed and versatility.
On Saturday, Two Out Hero breezed a swift half-mile in 47.60 seconds at Woodbine’s Tapeta surface, impressing Attard who said the horse worked easily and remained under control throughout. With a record of 9 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third, and earnings totaling $478,646, Two Out Hero has notable credentials including a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes last September at Woodbine. Purchased for $240,000 as a yearling at Keeneland, he is out of Song River, a dual stakes-placed mare by Liam’s Map, and his second dam is stakes winner Harlan’s Honor.
Trainer Miguel Clement is expected to present a strong challenge with Big Destroyer and Intricate Spirit. Big Destroyer, who recently finished just three-quarters of a length behind the winner in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race at Kentucky Downs, appears to be improving according to Clement. The Midshipman gelding also has stakes placings and is hitting form at a good time.
Intricate Spirit, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables, and the Beitz family, aims to bounce back following less impressive results in recent Grade 3 races at Saratoga. The Complexity gelding has two stakes wins, including the six-furlong Paradise Creek and the Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont. Clement described him as forwardly placed but sometimes inconsistent, with a history of both strong and disappointing performances despite diligent training.
The field also includes Doubting Thomas, owned by the Estate of R. Larry Johnson and trained by Michael Trombetta. After missing the board for the first time in six starts in the one-mile Gio Ponti at Saratoga, Doubting Thomas hopes the seven-eighths distance will suit him better than his recent two-turn attempt. A winner of the six-furlong Colonial Turf Dash, he is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Spun Glass and hails from the stakes family of Grecian Wings.
Additional entrants are Grade 3 winner Learntodiscover, trained by Brendan Walsh; stakes winner Proton for Graham Motion; Feline Curious with trainer Kelsey Danner; Iron Palace with George Weaver; and Six O Clock trained by Arnaud Delacour.
The Bricks and Mortar Stakes, named after the 2019 Horse of the Year trained by Chad Brown, will be the eighth race on Saturday’s 11-race card. The event also features the Grade 3 $200,000 Hill Prince Stakes in Race 10. Racing starts at 12:05 p.m. Eastern. General admission at Belmont Park is priced at $7 in advance and offers access to grandstand seating and various on-site areas. Fans can purchase tickets and find more information at nyra.com, which also provides access to daily coverage and analysis of the Belmont fall meet on FOX Sports networks. For those interested in wagering, NYRA Bets is the official betting platform, accessible nationwide via its app on iOS and Android.
This story first appeared in the News section of the Paulick Report on October 5, 2026.
Fan Take: This race highlights a compelling mix of emerging talent and proven performers, making it a must-watch for horse racing enthusiasts eager to see which young turf horses will rise to prominence. The Bricks and Mortar could be pivotal in shaping the careers of these sophomores and reinforcing Belmont Park’s reputation as a stage for exciting turf competition.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
