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Mendelssohn heads to the winner's circle after the UAE Derby.

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2018 UAE Derby Results

Date: 03/31/2018

The $2 million Al Naboodah Group UAE Derby (G2) over 1900 meters (1 3/16 miles) on the main track at Meydan is the only age-restricted race on World Cup night, open to 3-year-olds and worth 100 points to the winner as part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, however southern hemisphere 3-year-olds are recognized as 4-year-olds in the north and are not eligible for the Kentucky Derby. UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) winner Gold Town was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the field of 9. In to challenge him included 9-5 second choice Mendelssohn, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). and 5-1 third choice Reride, winner of the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland.

First time by in the UAE Derby

Jockey Ryan Moore sent Mendelssohn to the lead first time by through fractions of 25.09, 48.46, and 1:11.87 while pressed by Yulong Warrior and stalked by Rayya. Turning for home, Mendelssohn left the field in his wake, opening up a 9 1/4 length lead through 1 mile in 1:36.31. Kept to task by Moore, Mendelssohn continued to pour it on, finishing up 18 1/2 lengths ahead of Rayya in a new track record time of 1:55.18, eclipsing the record set by Thunder Snow last year by over 2 1/2 seconds. It was another 3 lengths back to Reride third and another 1 3/4 lengths to favorite Gold Town fourth.

Results Chart for the race from Emirates Racing Authority which includes a link to the video replay. Results for US wagering:

4th RACE MEYDAN - UAE DERBY (Group 2) 4 Mendelssohn $5.60 $4.00 $2.40 1 Rayya $11.20 $4.60 3 Reride $3.80 Running time - 1:55.18 $1.00 EXACTA 4-1 $19.10 $1.00 TRIFECTA 4-1-3 $137.40 $1.00 SUPERFECTA 4-1-3-5 $387.20

Left: Mendelssohn in the winner's enclosure. Winning trainer Aidan O'Brien, who has won 3 UAE Derbies said, "He came forward lovely from his run at Dundalk a few weeks ago. He is bred to handle the dirt, being by Scat Daddy. But that was an unbelievable performance. We weren't sure how he would handle the distance but you have to say he saw it out pretty well. He is naturally quick and has a lot of tactical early speed. He did it the hard way but he did it so easily. He is very well bred, he has a great physique and you can see why he cost the lads a lot of money at the sales. We will look forward to going to Kentucky with him now. He is a terrific horse, really very exciting. "

Right: Mendelssohn heads back to the barn. Winning jockey Ryan Moore said, "He's a high-class horse, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner, and now he's done it here. You'd have to go a long way to see a better performance than that. He's a horse with a lot of speed, he still feels like there's more physical improvement in him, there's more strengthening to come, he's going to get better. He's grown up a lot, but he's still learning and he's trained by a genius. He's got a beautiful pedigree (for the Kentucky Derby), he's got the form, he races forward and there's plenty of experience now. But that's a different thing, a hard race with more runners, you can't compare it to today."

Left: Second place finisher Rayya in the paddock. Jockey Patrick Dobbs said, "She travelled around super in behind the leader. I saw William (jockey Buick, Gold Town) was struggling halfway round the bend and I thought there might be a chance of getting second. She stuck to her guns well as she got very tired up the straight, but she's very honest."

Right: Third place finisher Reride heads out to the track before the race. Jockey Javier Castellano said, "He ran a good race. He couldn't go the pace early, but he was going on at the finish. I was happy with him." Owner Ron Winchell added, "It could have been better, but it could have been worse."


Fourth place finisher and beaten favorite Gold Town in the paddock. The Charlie Appleby trainee has a record of 4 wins, 0 seconds, and 1 third in 9 starts, earnng $332,221 for owner-breeder Godolphin Racing.

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