Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Mendelssohn’s unknowns pile up

Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 5 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.

Irish super trainer Aidan O’Brien isn’t talking in absolutes when it comes to the 2018 Kentucky Derby.

We don’t yet know exactly when his UAE Derby winner, Mendelssohn, will ship to the United States. We don’t know for sure who will ride. And in a recent interview with AtTheRaces.com, O’Brien went as far to say “hopefully Mendelssohn will go to America.”

“We'll usually decide those things a week before,” O’Brien said, “or when their serious work is over.”

Certainly a horse that won a major prep in record time, and by 18 1/2 lengths, will get his chance to shine at Churchill Downs. The $3 million son of Scat Daddy’s the favorite at European books, and the co-third choice in the Wynn Las Vegas’ Kentuky Derby odds.

But O’Brien is playing this one close to the vest.

It’s expected Mendelssohn will do his serious training abroad and ship in as late as possible. Horses coming from overseas first have to clear quarantine, with the deadline to be on the grounds at Churchill typically the Wednesday before the race.

"He's in good form,” O’Brien told AtTheRaces.com. “Obviously he's had an easy couple of weeks and he came back well.

"Everyone seems happy with him at the moment. In the next couple of weeks his work will be stepped up, but it's so far, so good.”

As for a jockey, we’ll wait and see. Ryan Moore has ridden in the past, including when Mendelssohn successfully shipped to the U.S. and won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last fall. Moore was also in America earlier this month to ride Marconi in Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes. After an eighth-place finish aboard the Coolmore charge, Moore declined comment.

It’s worth taking pause on some of this before picking a horse who — while he has shown immense talent — is also bidding to become the first European-based Derby winner, and the first UAE Derby winner to wear roses since the race began running in 2000.

The works

Grade 3 Gotham Stakes winner Enticed returned to the work tab Thursday for the first time since running second to Vino Rosso in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial. In company with Take Charge Paula, who could run in the Kentucky Oaks, he beat his workmate and clocked five furlongs in 1:01.20.

Earlier Thursday, Lone Sailor put in his major workout at Churchill Downs, starting nine lengths back of two stablemates before going by in the stretch. His time: 5/8 in 57.60 seconds. Said Churchill clocker John Nichols: “The last horse I can recall going that fast was Hard Spun on April 30, 2007, when he went :57.60 with opening splits of :22 and :33.40 before running second in the Derby.”

But also read our full report on Lone Sailor’s breeze, in which trainer Tom Amoss said the time doesn’t matter.

In the coming days

Per Churchill Downs publicity, D. Wayne Lukas-trained Bravazo could complete his second local work on either Friday or Saturday. To follow Saturday, the Dale Romans duo of Free Drop Billy and Promises Fulfilled, along with Mark Casse trainee Flameaway, should breeze under the Twin Spires.

Churchill’s training window exclusive to Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders sits an hour earlier this year, running from 7:30-7:45 a.m. ET starting Saturday. The sessions will be live streamed, and we plan to carry them on HRN.

Derby links

• In terms of the bubble, Instilled Regard is back under consideration, with the Grade 3 winner now the second horse out of the field. Along with it, he’s open for wagering in Las Vegas. See the latest Kentucky Derby odds. 

• We caught up Thursday with trainer Jason Servis, who has multiple stakes winner Firenze Fire back on track in Florida after running fourth in the Wood Memorial. Said Servis: “Right now I’m not doing much with him — trying to get him to come around a little bit.”

• The HorseCenter crew of Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman this week handicapped all 20 current contenders’ chances, plus listed their Top 10 Kentucky Derby horses. See videos encapsulating both.

In case you missed it…

Get the scoop with recent editions of the Derby Daily Report!

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