Mendelssohn Building to Breeders' Cup Classic

The Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) may have been a chastening experience for Aidan O'Brien and Mendelssohn, but the trainer has not given up hope of the 3-year-old landing one of America's top dirt races this season.

Identified as a major contender for the first leg of the Triple Crown at the end of his 2-year-old campaign, Mendelssohn found out how tough dirt racing can be when he came home last of 20, with O'Brien later commenting the race was a "different level of intensity."

Since the Kentucky Derby, Mendelssohn has had two more American outings and has progressed each time. He finished third in the Dwyer Stakes (G3) and was then runner-up to Catholic Boy in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 25.

"It's interesting and exciting for us because it gives us a new angle," O'Brien said. "We have to learn more things and work out more things as we go along. The only way you can learn these things is to be in the middle of it, and I think we're getting there slowly."

Next on the agenda could be the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park Sept. 29, before a return to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup.

"The Travers was the first run of a three-race program," O'Brien said. "We were very happy with that, and we're thinking of going to Belmont and then the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)."

Not content with trying to crack America, O'Brien is also taking on the Australian sprinting division in its own backyard, with U S Navy Flag on course for a showdown against the best the home team can offer in the Oct. 13 Tab Everest.

Attempts at making the 3-year-old a group 1-winning miler this season did not pan out, but dropping the son of War Front  back to six furlongs for the Darley July Cup (G1) delivered an explosive response, as he won the Newmarket group 1 by 1 3/4 lengths.

With speed rather than stamina being U S Navy Flag's chief asset, Randwick's AU$13 million sprint, which was staged for the first time last year, is next in the colt's crosshairs.

O'Brien carried off one of Australia's biggest prizes in 2014, when he took the Sportingbet W. S. Cox Plate (G1) with Adelaide, but the Everest represents a different summit to scale.

"U S Navy Flag was at Naas on Tuesday evening and did a half-speed over six furlongs, and we were very happy with him," O'Brien said. "He's going into quarantine on Thursday to go to Sydney. He had a tough early part of the season and needed a break after the July Cup. This race popped in, and we thought it could be worth trying."