Mendelssohn retired from racing, to stand at Ashford Stud in 2019
Coolmore announced Sunday that Grade 1 winner Mendelssohn has been retired from racing and will stand at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., for the 2019 breeding season. The announcement came a day after Mendelssohn finished fourth in the Cigar Mile (G1).
His will stand for a fee of $35,000.
The global operation went to $3 million to purchase the son of Scat Daddy at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. In addition to being sired by the late Coolmore stallion, Mendelssohn is out of Leslie's Lady, who produced champion race mare Beholder and successful Spendthrift Farm stallion Into Mischief.
“All of our team loved Mendelssohn from the first time we saw him as a yearling and he has developed into a magnificent looking horse,” Coolmore America manager Dermot Ryan said in a statement.
“Being by our own Scat Daddy and a half-brother to Into Mischief and Beholder, you couldn’t ask for a better pedigree and he showed real brilliance when wining the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and the UAE Derby by a street, recording a new track record. He also ran some excellent races in defeat this fall, notably in the Travers and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. We have already had a huge number of (inquiries) about him and I have no doubt that he will prove extremely popular.”
Mendelssohn won the UAE Derby by 18 1/2 lengths before running last in the Kentucky Derby. He returned to run third in the one-mile Dwyer (G3) before stretching back out to 1 1/4 miles in three consecutive Grade 1 races.
He was runner-up to Catholic Boy in the Travers Stakes before holding for third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup after contesting a hot pace just off Diversify. He then held for fifth after setting the pace in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Mendelssohn was also being considered for the Pegasus World Cup Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. He was listed on Ashford's 2019 stallion roster when it was first released, then removed as news came out he could point to the Cigar Mile.