Seventeen Black Scores Again For Mendelssohn

It was a sixth win in eight starts this year for Mendelssohn’s Seventeen Black (4g Mendelssohn x American Sugar, by Harlan’s Holiday) on Saturday night in the Governor Terry E. Branstad Stakes.

Making his stakes debut, the gelding sprinted to the lead from the gate in the 1 1/16-mile dirt race to build a comfortable margin between himself and the rest of the field. He steadily increased that lead down the backstretch and into the far turn without much urging from jockey Alex Birzer.

Once Birzer asked his mount to get serious about running in the stretch, Seventeen Black gamily pulled away to win by 4 ¾ lengths at the line.

Trained by Keven Eikleberry for Poindexter Thoroughbreds, Elk Ranch, and AG Racing Stables, this was the fifth straight victory for the 4-year-old. In all, Seventeen Black has hit the board in eight of his 16 career starts.

A $300,000 Fasig-Tipton November weanling purchase by Amerman Racing from Wynstay Sales, Seventeen Black was also bred by Poindexter Thoroughbreds, who rejoined his ownership this year.

The colt is out of the multiple stakes winner American Sugar, who is also a half-sister to the stakes placed Love To Run. Each of Seventeen Black’s first four dams have all produced stakes winners with his stakes placed third dam also the granddam of dual Grade I winner Sassy Image.

Mendelssohn’s eight blacktype winners in 2024 puts him second behind only Justify on the third crop sire list while his 123 winners leads all other third crop stallions by nearly 50 winners.