Mendelssohn Filly Romps at Oaklawn

Mendelssohn registered another talented winner on Sunday when Mendela (3f Mendelssohn x Jenda’s Agenda, by Proud Citizen) broke her maiden by 6 ¾ lengths in her second starts.

Second in her debut in February, the filly came back almost exactly a month later for this start going six furlongs. Tracking the leaders early on, she was taken five wide by Rafael Bejarano around the turn to close ground on the leaders.

Once she caught the leader in midstetch, it was all about expanding her lead and Mendela did just that. Ridden out to the line, she had 6 ½ lengths on the runner up and 10 lengths on the third placed runner.

Trained by Chris Hartman for Chris Wilkins, the filly was bred by Clarkland Farm out of the stakes winning Jenda’s Agenda.

A four-time winner, Jenda’s Agenda is also the dam of Justify’s Grade III winner Just Cindy and American Pharoah’s two-time winner Bedazzle ‘Em among her three runners. Jenda’s Agenda is out of the Grade II winner Just Jenda, who also produced Munnings’ stakes winning Miss Alacrity.

Mendela is one of 46 winners for Mendelssohn this year – a number that leads all fourth crop sires. Mendelssohn is also the sire of a generation leading 11 stakes performers in 2025.