By Christie DeBernardis
Coolmore's Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) seeks redemption in Belmont's GIII Dwyer S. Saturday after being eased home last in the GI Kentucky Derby May 5. Victorious in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last term, the $3-million KEESEP topper captured the Patton S. on the Dundalk synthetic Mar. 9 and made a mockery of the G2 UAE Derby, romping by 18 1/2 lengths in his first try on dirt Mar. 31 to stamp his ticket to Louisville. The Aidan O'Brien pupil failed to fire on the First Saturday in May, but his conditioner is confident he can return to his Meydan form and is pointing the half-brother to four-time champion Beholder (Henny Hughes) to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic back beneath the Twin Spires in November. O'Brien also saddles Group 2 winner Seahenge (Scat Daddy), last seen finishing seventh in the GIII Pat Day Mile on the Derby undercard.
Rugbyman (Tapit) earned the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker after his 14-length tour de force in a track-and-trip maiden special weight May 13. The gray missed by a neck last time in the Easy Goer S. here June 9 and adds blinkers for this step up to graded company.
“It's not changing too much and I think it makes sense to keep him there and run him back at a similar distance around one turn,” trainer Graham Motion told the NYRA notes team. “I worry about it a little because he's taken on a lot quickly, but we obviously like him a lot.”
Fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy) should appreciate this cut back in trip after finishing last of 10 in the GI Belmont S. June 9. A two-time winner at Gulfstream this winter, he was third in the GII Risen Star S. Feb. 17 and scored a gritty victory in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 24 prior to finishing 17th in the Run for the Roses.
Another runner who should relish the cut back to a one-turn mile is Firenze Fire (Posiedon's Warrior), winner of the track-and-trip GI Champagne S. last year and the one-mile Jerome S. in January at Aqueduct. Runner-up in the GIII Withers S. in February, the bay was fourth in both the GIII Gotham S. Mar. 10 and the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 7. He was last seen fading to 11th in the Kentucky Derby.
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