Mendelssohn moves up Kentucky Derby Contenders List

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview —-

Mendelssohn; Mathea Kelley/Dubai Racing Club Photo

Wow! That’s all I can say after Mendelssohn won the UAE Derby on March 31 at Meydan in Dubai by 18 lengths and in track record time of 1:55.18 for the mile-and-three-sixteenths race.

Mendelssohn, a son of Scat Daddy who died in 2015, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last November at Del Mar and stepped onto the dirt for the first time in his UAE Derby win. He won a race earlier this year on a synthetic surface in Ireland.

The colt went to the lead out of the gate and never looked back as he widen his margin throughout the stretch and was geared down in the last 50 yards. A couple of the talking heads on TVG (the racing channel) questioned if he could compete at Churchill Downs in Louisville citing a 20-horse field, the shipping and eating dirt if he didn’t get the lead.

We could have a flashback to 1985 when Spend a Buck went to the lead in the Derby and never was headed. Of course no one thought he could do that either.

If Mendelssohn takes to the Churchill track and looks good leading up to the Derby he’ll definitely be in my top five on the first Saturday in May. I don’t think Coolmore Stud would bring this guy over here just for kicks. They paid $3 million for him at the Keeneland September 2016 Yearling sale and he’s a half to Beholder and Into Mischief.

Audible reclaimed the title as the best colt in Florida with an impressive win in the Florida Derby. The son of Into Mischief won the Holy Bull, and then skipped the Fountain of Youth to wait for the big dance.

Strike Power and Promises Fulfilled (Fountain of Youth winner) blazed out of the gate and quarter-horsed to the first quarter in 21.95 and that proved to be their undoing. They hit the half-mile in 46.37 with Audible taking his time in mid-pack. Audible got rolling near the three-eighths pole and circled the faltering leaders on the second turn. He took the lead at the top of the stretch and started pulling away.

Audible discarded Mississippi who was trying for an upset and held off Hofburg by three lengths. Mississippi was another seven-to-eight lengths back in third and Catholic Boy was fourth.
The next three races, all on April 7, are the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in New York; the Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.; and the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Southern California.

The 2018 Kentucky Derby contenders are:

Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) won the San Felipe on a disqualification and is headed to the Santa Anita Derby.

Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) blew away the UAE Derby field and is Coolmore’s best shot at winning a Derby.

Audible (Into Mischief) won the Florida Derby and heads to Louisville.

Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) had a powerful win in the Rebel.

Enticed (Medaglia d’Oro) won the Gotham and is being pointed to the Wood Memorial.

Solomini (Curlin) may stay in Southern California for the Santa Anita Derby now that McKinzie is out of it. Trainer Bob Baffert will make that call.

Good Magic (Curlin) was third in the Fountain of Youth. He’ll go next in the Blue Grass.

Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy) won the Louisiana Derby.

My Boy Jack (Creative Cause) was closing fast in the Louisiana Derby but couldn’t catch the top one.

Promises Fulfilled (Shackelford) was it speed or pedigree that cost him in the Florida Derby.

McKinzie (Street Sense) gets dropped because of an injury to one of his hind legs, but his trainer doesn’t know what it is and whether he will go on. He will not run in the Santa Anita Derby.

Justify (Scat Daddy) could run in the Santa Anita Derby now that McKinzie won’t. Once again it’s up to Baffert.