Delight First Graded Stakes Winner for Mendelssohn

It was a first graded stakes winner for Grade I winner Mendelssohn on Friday when Delight (2f Mendelssohn x Honey Trap, by Medaglia d’Oro) won the Grade II Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland by five lengths.

Taking the lead out of the gate in the 1 1/16 mile race, she was pressured by Bling early before getting a clear lead entering the backstretch. Racing with her ears pricked, Delight controlled the race and happily sped up when Luis Saez asked for more in the stretch.

With a furlong left, Delight had over three lengths on the field and when she crossed the line was five lengths ahead for her second straight victory.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas purchased the Augustin Stable-raced filly for $400,000 as a 2-year-old from Paul Sharp earlier this year with the filly never finishing worse than third in four starts.

“Her ability to relax (impressed me most today). We were hoping to get her covered up, but she really relaxed. I love seeing her ears twitching back and forth. You’re always hoping you have horse, and she kicked away. That’s when you see (jockey) Luis (Saez) really, really good, when he’s on the lead like that. He’s so well rounded, but that’s when he’s absolutely brilliant,” Thomas said.

Next up for Delight is a start in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Her Medaglia d’Oro dam is a half-sister to stakes winners Now Spun, Little Nick V and stakes-placed Winging It. Delight’s third dam is the Grade I winner Pacific Squall.

Delight is the fourth stakes performer for Mendelssohn, who is the sire of 16 winners from his first crop – fourth best of his generation.