Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn earned his first career win in his second start when winning by a length at the Curragh in Ireland in August 2017. Unplaced in his group stakes debut, the bay Scat Daddy colt made a better second appearance in stakes competition, running second in the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October. That race gave trainer Aidan O' Brien the confidence to ship to the United States for the Breeders' Cup World Championships, and the improving colt overwhelmed the opposition to win the Juvenile Turf. Connections indicated they might pursue the American Triple Crown races with the colt in his 3-year-old season given his pedigree, which includes several successful dirt runners on his female side.

He kicked off his sophomore season with a win in the 32red Patton Stakes on an all-weather surface, earning 20 points on the European road to the Kentucky Derby. Mendelssohn then shipped to Dubai, where he absolutely dominated his foes in the UAE Derby, setting a track record while gliding home to win by 18 1/2 lengths and earning 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, securing him a place in the starting gate for the run for the roses.

Mendelssohn was sent off as the 6.80-1 third choice in the Kentucky Derby but was never involved after being bumped soundly and forced into other horses shortly after leaving the starting gate. He was eased by jockey Ryan Moore midway through the race and ended up last of 20.

Mendelssohn returned to the United Stakes in July after an extended rest for the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at one mile. Sent off as the heavy favorite, Mendelssohn could not match strides with runaway victor Firenze Fire and was outfinished for second by Seven Trumpets.

Mendelssohn next moved on to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets on Aug. 25 at Saratoga, where he went straight to the front and controlled the pace before giving way late to victor Catholic Boy in a game runner-up finish. He was back in New York to face his elders in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 29, where he was hustled out of the gate but conceded the pacesetting role to heavy favorite Diversify. Diversify tired after setting fast fractions but Mendelssohn battled on gamely to finish third.

He closed out his season with a fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Churchill Downs followed by a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets on Dec. 1.

Mendelssohn was a sale-topping yearling at the 2016 Keeneland September sale, fetching $3 million from the Coolmore associates. He is a son of late, top Coolmore sire Scat Daddy and is out of the stakes-winning Tricky Creek mare Leslie's Lady, making him a half-brother to four-time champion Beholder and Grade 1 winner and hot sire Into Mischief.