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Old 04-03-2018, 07:00 PM
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RolloTomasi RolloTomasi is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitan View Post
The race was a Group 2, and even if it was a G1 the value would still be much, much less than a Kentucky Derby win. He is a G1 BC Juv Turf winner and a half to Beholder and Into Mischief ergo he is already stallion made.
Thanks for the correction. Something I omitted that I should have pointed was that he won on dirt, which makes him a Group/Graded winner on both surfaces, something else Coolmore strives for.

I realize that the Kentucky Derby is more important than any other race Mendelssohn can win on the main track, but again, I don't think the Coolmore people hold their breath waiting to win that sort of race in North America.

Coolmore often simply tosses horses in their main US targets (on the dirt, that is), the BC Juvenile, BC Classic, and Kentucky Derby hoping for some blind luck. Mendelssohn was close to starting in the Juvenile on the dirt but O'Brien didn't want to throw another curve ball at the colt who was starting to progress off a runner-up effort in the Dewhurst at odds of 50-1. Instead, he tossed in Group 1 winner US Navy Flag, and completed that one's massive burnout (he made 11 starts last year at 2--I have no idea if he is supposed to return). In addition, O'Brien has had great success in the BC Juvenile Turf with 2nd tier juveniles. In fact, Mendelssohn was his 4th winner of that race and the first to ever win another race subsequently.

What is interesting to note is that it is highly likely that the race strategy for Coolmore dirt attemps from now on will be an all-out send from the gate. US Navy Flag was sent in the Juvenile as was Mendelssohn in the UAE Derby. Churchill made an attempt in the BC Classic but was pinballed off of West Coast and Mubtaahij under the wire the first time 'round.
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