Congo River 14th Winner for Mendelssohn
Congo River (2c Mendelssohn x Tessie Flip, by Grand Slam) became his sire’s newest winner on Friday at Dundalk in Ireland.
Racing over five furlongs on the synthetic surface, Congo River engaged in a battle for the lead throughout and was still going strong with just over an eighth of a mile to go. His longtime rival rallied at that point to engage him again but Congo River wasn’t going to give in and won by a neck with Zoffany’s Maggie McGrath in third.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Congo River is owned by Westerberg and the Coolmore partners and was bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm and Circular Roadbreeders.
A $400,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Congo River is a three-quarter brother to multiple stakes winner Jo Jo Air and three other winners from five to race. Their dam Tessie Flip is a half-sister to dual Grade I winner Switch, the dam of Galileo’s Group III-placed Kiss You Later.
Tessie Flip’s stakes winning half-sister Keystone Gulch is the dam of two stakes performers, including No Nay Never’s multiple Group III-placed Celtic Beauty.
Congo River is the 14th winner for Mendelssohn, third best among all freshmen. His winners include the stakes-placed Miracle and Grade III fourth Ah Jeeze.