Mendelssohn after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Gary Tasich photo
On December 14, 2015, devastating news came from Ashford Stud. It was announced that the highly influential stallion, Scat Daddy, had unexpectedly passed away when walking out of his paddock. It was a shocking blow from a horse that moments before appeared to be the picture of health. The loss of such a promising stallion left both breeders and fans alike reeling with grief. A stallion with tremendous potential had his life cut short, but despite the fact that Scat Daddy was gone, his story clearly wasn't over. Fast forward to the Kentucky Derby trail of 2018, and Scat Daddy's legacy is as alive and well as ever.
Scat Daddy has not one, not two, not three, but four potential Kentucky Derby starters. Those four horses are Mendelssohn and Flameaway, who have already secured a comfortable amount of qualifying points for the race, and Justify and Combatant, who are still trying to pave their way there, but have very real chances of making it in. All four horses are extremely talented and are doing a very nice job of keeping Scat Daddy's name alive.
Mendelssohn began his career on the turf, but has now stepped forward to establish himself as a very legitimate Kentucky Derby contender. His talent was obvious when he won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in brilliant fashion, giving his connections reason to dream of him becoming something more than just a turf star. Thanks to his raw talent, dreams of roses entered the minds of those around him, so when Mendelssohn entered his three-year-old season, the time came to put their dreams into action.
Mendelssohn made his seasonal debut in Ireland, at Dundalk Stadium, in the one-mile Patton Stakes on a synthetic track. Mendelssohn flashed his talent and class by scoring over his new surface with ease, leaving his rivals behind by three-quarters of a length. With a strong start to his season, it was off to Dubai for the young globe trotter, who was setting his sights on the UAE Derby and a berth into the Kentucky Derby.
There was no denying the fact that Mendelssohn was a horse that possessed an endless amount of talent and potential. However, if Mendelssohn wanted to have a chance in the Kentucky Derby, he would have to prove that his strength and power could be just as effective on the dirt. On Mach 31, under the desert sky of Meydan, Mendelssohn did more than prove that he could run on the dirt. He unleashed a performance so stunning and so riveting that it catapulted him to the top as one of the early favorites for the first Saturday in May.
When the starting gates opened in the UAE Derby, Mendelssohn immediately shot to the front. Refusing to look back, the daring colt swiftly kicked through rapid fractions, mocking his rivals with every stride and showing no signs of stopping. Furlong after furlong passed, and the other horses were left struggling in the wake of Mendelssohn's reign. The only thing gaining was his lead as he began to separate himself completely from his foes. Mendelssohn accelerated around the turn, romping into the stretch by five lengths. Then six. Then seven. And he wasn't stopping there. With a smooth kick of his legs, Mendelssohn pushed himself in front by double digits, opening up a breathtaking advantage on his battered foes. The UAE Derby had become a one-horse race as Mendelssohn soared to the wire all alone. In a surreal display that can only be described as poetry in motion, Mendelssohn pounded over the finish line by 18 1/2 staggering lengths, stopping the clock for the 1 3/16 mile event in a record-shattering time of 1:55.18.
The unbelievable performance that Mendelssohn delivered in the UAE Derby brought him one step closer to completing the plan that trainer, Aidan O'Brien had mapped out for him from the start. The goal was to start the year off in the Patton Stakes, prep in the UAE Derby, and then head to Kentucky. So far, the mission for his prep races has been accomplished, leaving one more bridge to cross in Kentucky. Everything has gone according to plan so far for the dauntless son of Scat Daddy, making you wonder if things will continue to fall into place for him on the first Saturday in May. O'Brien says that Mendelssohn is the best Kentucky Derby prospect he has ever trained, and after seeing the way that he demolished his rivals in Dubai, it is hard to disagree.
Another top Derby prospect by Scat Daddy is Flameaway. The stouthearted chestnut has been a model of courage, consistency, and versatility throughout his entire career, displaying unwavering determination and an endless will to win with every start.
Flameaway may not be on the top of many people's Derby lists, but if you stop and take a look at what he's done, it's hard to see him as anything but a legitimate contender. To date, this horse has won on several different surfaces that include, turf, synthetic, dirt, and mud, proving that he has the courage and ability to run on whatever he's put on. He has won five times out of eight lifetime starts, with victories in the Skidmore Stakes, Bourbon Stakes, Kitten's Joy Stakes, and Sam F. Davis Stakes (Gr.3).
Flameaway was the definition of determination in his latest start, when he ran second in the Grade II, Tampa Bay Derby to long shot, Quip. After a bad break, a wide trip, and some erratic moments in the stretch, Flameaway pulled it together in time to close in like a freight train and finish second, despite looking hopelessly beaten. The narrow defeat was proof that even when everything goes wrong, Flameaway will still put himself in the race and fight to the end. He doesn't care who you put in front of him or how far he has to run, he just wants to finish his race. There is no denying the competitive drive that burns brightly inside of this colt, and that makes him very dangerous on the first Saturday in May. When the other horses find themselves caught up in the frenzied traffic of the twenty horse field in the Kentucky Derby, you can rest easy knowing that Flameaway will likely handle it with the same dauntless grace that he has consistently delivered to each and every start that he has made this year. He hasn't failed to fire yet in 2018, so there's reason to believe that he will be right there in the thick of it when the field turns for home in the Derby, making some noise and fighting to the finish. The horse is fearless, and you can't ask for more than that.
Next we have the highly promising, but still unproven, Justify. This striking son of Scat Daddy turned some heads over the winter by breaking his maiden by nearly ten crushing lengths. Hype followed the colt a month later in his next start, when he romped in a one-mile allowance race at Santa Anita, scoring by over six lengths. His effortless stride and graceful flight quickly captivated those around him, drawing comparisons to past champions, such as Easy Goer. It was a lofty title for a horse who had only raced twice, but there was an aura surrounding the colt that could not be denied. However, as exciting of a prospect that Justify is, he still has to prove that he belongs in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. Having never been in a stakes race, Justify has absolutely zero points for the Kentucky Derby. He will get his chance to make the gate in the Santa Anita Derby, but with May creeping closer, this will be his one and only shot to make it to Kentucky.
With his endless stride and unyielding speed, Justify appears to be a horse with tremendous potential. But with only two races to his name, he is also a horse who is dangerously inexperienced. Going against a colt as talented as Bolt d'Oro in the Santa Anita Derby will be no easy task, but the fact that Bob Baffert is willing to take such a risk speaks volumes about his belief in this horse. On April 7, we will get to see what Justify is made of. Running with the elite will be no easy task for such a lightly raced horse, but if Justify really is as good as everyone says he is, then we will see him handle this obstacle with ease and grace as he marches his way to Louisville. For now, the promise is there, but it will be up to Justify to step up and prove that he truly belongs.
Last we have the ever gallant, Combatant. The athletic bay currently does not have enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, but that could change after he makes his anticipated start in the April 14, Arkansas Derby. With only one win in six starts, Combatant doesn't have the flashy resume that Mendelssohn, Flameaway, or even Justify possess. However, he is a horse that always shows up, and has never run a bad race. After breaking his maiden, Combatant has consistently run second or third in stakes races. While he may struggle to get to the top in time, he has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to compete with quality horses. He is a horse that you can count on to run his race, and will be an interesting one to watch moving forward.
It is safe to say that Scat Daddy will be well represented in this year's Kentucky Derby. There is a very real chance that one of his progeny will storm to glory and wear the roses in May, but whether or not that dream becomes reality, there is no denying the fact that the legacy of Scat Daddy will be shining as brightly as the sun over the old Kentucky home on the first Saturday in May. It is a stunning accomplishment for any stallion to produce a runner in the illustrious Kentucky Derby, but to produce several in the same year is a truly remarkable feat. Scat Daddy may be gone, but his legacy is very much alive.
Thank you to Gary Tasich for providing the beautiful pictures!
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