Mendelssohn makes usual commute for Cigar Mile

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though Coolmore has already advertised Mendelssohn as an addition to its North American stallion roster in 2019, the speedy 3-year-old will have two more starts before he begins his stud career, beginning with Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.

Mendelssohn is also expected to run in the $9 million Pegasus at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26, 2019.

Mendelssohn arrived in New York on Tuesday night from Ireland. He was to remain in quarantine at Belmont Park until mid-morning Thursday, then was to van over to Aqueduct where he will train Friday. Mendelssohn will mark trainer Aidan O’Brien’s first starter at the Big A.

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The Cigar marks the sixth straight trip Mendelssohn has made to the U.S. since the spring. His tour began in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished last in the 20-horse field. The pace of the race and the sloppy track were new experiences for Mendelssohn, a half-brother to the U.S. champion mare Beholder, and he didn’t handle it well.

He raced in New York in the Dwyer (third), the Travers (second) and the Jockey Club Gold Cup (third) before running fifth to Accelerate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

T. J. Comerford, who has traveled several times with Mendelssohn but not for the Breeders’ Cup, said the horse has handled all his traveling well.

“Fresh and wild,” Comerford said Wednesday morning at blustery Belmont Park. “Coming here last night he was fresh. He’s good. I can’t see any change in him. I could see a change in his races since coming here for the [Dwyer]. That was disappointing when you look back at it, but then he progressed and got better.”

In the Classic, Mendelssohn set the pace to the quarter pole before being overtaken by Accelerate. He finished fifth, beaten four lengths.

“Aidan’s been training all along for him to be a dirt horse,” Comerford said. “He could have gone for the turf races but it never enticed him, he stuck with the dirt, and I think wisely so. He’s done well all year. He’s knocking on the door. His run in the Breeders’ Cup was a very good run.”

Mendelssohn has shown speed in last four trips to the U.S., a style that should prove useful again after having drawn the rail in an eight-horse field.

There was a notable defection at entry time as No Dozing, the 9 3/4-length winner of the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, was not entered due to a suspected bruised foot. Trainer Arnaud Delacour said No Dozing came out of a workout Sunday with an issue.

Outside of Mendelssohn, who will again be ridden by Ryan Moore, the rest of the field in post order: Sunny Ridge (Irad Ortiz), Pat On the Back (Dylan Davis), Stan the Man (Eric Cancel), Copper Town (Javier Castellano), True Timber (Joe Bravo), Timeline (John Velazquez), and Patternrecognition (Jose Ortiz).