Mendelssohn heads to USA for Travers Stakes at Saratoga

Mendelssohn is a 16-1 shot to get back to winning form in this Saturday’s prestigious Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt looked a potential superstar when a wide-margin winner of the UAE Derby in the Spring. However, a subsequent tilt at becoming a first European-based winner of the Kentucky Derby ended in disaster when finishing last on a muddy Churchill Downs track in May.

Mendelssohn has tacked dirt again since but could finish only third in last month’s Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park. However, O’Brien is still targeting the Breeders Cup Classic later this year and is sending the son of Scat Daddy back to the US for another try on dirt in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes.

Paddy Power rate the Irish horse, who is likely to be accompanied by his stable companion Seahenge, as a 16-1 outsider behind the hot even-money favourite Good Magic.

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That colt was runner-up to the Triple Crown hero Justify in the Kentucky Derby and on his last start was an impressive winner of the Grade One Haskell at Monmouth Park.

Also set to line up in the Travers are the Dwyer winner Firenze Fire and the ex-English Gronkowski who was runner up in the Belmont Stakes on his American debut.