Qia 20th Winner for Mendelssohn

Qia (2f Mendelssohn x Qiaona, by Wilko) was winner number 20 for Mendelssohn on Monday when the filly won a Mahoning Valley Maiden Special Weight for owner-breeder Judy Hicks.

It was a back-to-front rally for the filly in the one-mile dirt race with Qia racing nearly 10 lengths off the leader at multiple points. In the stretch, jockey Ricardo Feliciano took her out a few paths so she could fully extend and she ate up the margin to win by half a length.

Trained by Brian Waltz, Qia is out of the multiple stakes winning Qiaona, who is one of six winners out of her own 13-time winning dam.

Qia was the second winner in three days for Mendelssohn after his stakes-placed Scottish Symphony won at Woodbine on Saturday. Mendelssohn’s first crop includes five stakes performers and 20 winners led by Grade II winner Delight.