Mendez (horse)
| Mendez | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Bellypha |
| Grandsire | Lyphard |
| Dam | Miss Carina |
| Damsire | Caro |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 2 April 1981 |
| Country | France |
| Colour | Grey |
| Breeder | Scuderia Diamante |
| Owner | Philip Niarchos |
| Trainer | Francois Boutin |
| Record | 12:5-1-3 |
| Major wins | |
|
Prix des Chenes (1983) Prix de Fontainebleau (1984) Prix Jean Prat (1984) Prix du Moulin (1984) |
|
| Awards | |
| Timeform rating 121 (1983), 128 (1984) | |
Mendez (2 April 1981 – 25 September 1995) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was one of the best colts of his generation in France and produced his best performances over one mile/ 1600 metres on soft ground. As a two-year-old in 1983 he won the Prix des Chenes and was placed in both the Grand Criterium and the William Hill Futurity. In the following year he recorded Group One successes in the Prix Jean Prat and the Prix du Moulin as well as winning the Prix de Fontainebleau and finishing an unlucky third in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. He was retired from racing and had some success as a breeding stallion in France and Japan.
Mendez was a grey horse bred in France by Scuderia Diamante. He was from the first crop of foals sired by Bellypha one of the highest-rated racehorses of his generation in Europe at both two and three years of age. Mendez's dam, Miss Carina, was the highest-rated filly of her generation in Italy, winning the Premio Dormello in 1977. Both Bellypha and Miss Carina were greys.
The colt was offered for sale as a yearling in 1982 and was bought for ₣1,000,000 by representatives of Philip Niarchos the son of the Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos. He was sent into training with Francois Boutin and was ridden in most of his races by the American jockey Cash Asmussen.
After finishing unplaced in a race over 1200 metres on his debut, Mendez won a minor race over 1100 metres at Évry in July, winning easily after taking the lead at half way. In September, Mendez was moved up in class and distance and started favourite for the Prix des Chenes over 1600 metres at Longchamp Racecourse. Ridden by Asmussen, he took the lead from the start before accelerating away from his opponents in the straight and winning by two and a half lengths from the filly Ina Seville. In the Group One Grand Criterium over the same course and distance in October, Mendez was ridden by the Scottish jockey Willie Carson as Asmussen opted to ride the stable's other contender Seattle Song. Held up at the back of the eight runner field, Mendez struggled to obtain a clear run in the straight but finished strongly to finish third behind Treizieme and Truculent, beaten one and a half lengths by the winner. Two weeks later, Mendez was sent to England to contest the William Hill Futurity over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse. Ridden by Asmussen, he was made the 11/8 favourite ahead of the Guy Harwood-trained Alphabatim. Asmussen repeated the tactics employed by Carson, holding the colt up at the back of the field in the early stages and encountered similar difficulties obtaining a clear run early in the straight. He moved up to challenge for the lead in the final quarter mile but drifted to left in the closing stages and was beaten half a length by Alphabatim.
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