Classical Cat Ninth Winner For Mendelssohn

It was another August winner for Mendelssohn on Saturday night when Classical Cat (2c Mendelssohn x Conquest Strate Up, by Not Bourbon) won a Del Mar Maiden Special Weight on debut.

Trained by Phillip D’Amato, Classical Cat drifted out of the gate but Umberto Rispoli quickly got him back on the correct path and set him just behind the pace. By the time they hit the turn of the 5 ½ furlong dirt race, Classical Cat was moving comfortably and Rispoli sent him after the dueling leaders – a challenge the debuter relished.

He had the lead in the stretch and from there steadily pulled away to win by 2 ½ lengths with the third placed runner 5 ¾ lengths behind him.

Owned by Michael House, Classical Cat was bred by Pippa’s Hurricane and is out of the stakes winning Conquest Strate Up. Now the dam of two winners from two to race, Conquest Strate Up is a half-sister to the dam of multiple stakes winner Cactus Joe and is a granddaughter of Sherriff’s Deputy. That mare produced two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.

Conquest Strate Up had a Tiz the Law colt this year and returned to that Ashford stallion for 2023.

Mendelssohn has three August winners with nine winners overall and nine other placers from 27 worldwide runners.