O'Brien's Churchill Downs runners settle in well Aidan O’Brien’s Churchill Downs team — spearheaded by Mendelssohn — is reported in top trim following a protracted journey to America. The Ballydoyle runners experienced a 125-mile diversion to Indianapolis but arrived in Kentucky on Monday night and have taken the exertions within their stride. O’Brien’s travelling head lad Pat Keating told www.kentuckyderby.com: “Everything is fine and they settled in great. We couldn’t be happier with them.” Leading Kentucky Derby fancy Mendelssohn is O’Brien’s big hope, but stablemates Deauville, Seahenge and Threeandfourpence also run on the same card. The former, a brilliant winner of the UAE Derby at Meydan in March, will break from stall 14 in the ‘Run for the Roses’. He will bid to become the first European-trained horse in history to win the race, with Ryan Moore travelling for the mount instead of riding in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on the same day. Mendelssohn disputes favouritism with the Bob Baffert-trained Justify, who is well drawn in stall seven. Other leading contenders include Audible (stall five), Magnum Moon (16), Bolt D’Oro (11) and Good Magic (six). Outsider Firenze Fire is in stall one and Combatant is widest of all in stall 20.
