Game of Silks: Mendelssohn filly tops auction at 1.45 ETH

A high-priced filly by Mendelssohn, one of last year’s top freshman stallions, drew a final bid of 1.45 ETH, or $2,363, to top last week’s Game of Silks thoroughbred auction.

Three of the 10 juveniles up for auction eclipsed the $2,000 mark, reflecting strong competition to acquire 2-year-olds with solid pedigrees. However, only four horses changed hands, the fewest since Game of Silks began holding weekly auctions in mid-January.

Prior auctions have seen seven to nine horses meet or exceed their $500 reserve price, but last week’s group was significantly weaker on paper, illustrating the random nature of the thoroughbred reveal process. The six horses that failed to draw winning bids last week will be relisted for sale on OpenSea.

The four horses that did sell brought a total of 4.4446 ETH, or $7,244, with an average price of 1.11115 ETH, or $1,811.

Silks auctions give owners a chance to build their stables for the game’s inaugural racing season, which begins in April, when Keeneland traditionally holds the year’s first races for 2-year-olds. To visit the webpage of the Silks auctioneer, go to https://opensea.io/SilksAuctions. For the latest auction catalog, visit https://join.silks.io/AuctionCatalog.

Here’s a look at last week’s group:

● 2021 AMERISTRALIA (1.45 ETH) – The sale-topping Mendelssohn filly was a $375,000 purchase as a yearling. The sire got $1.83 million in progeny earnings last year to rank seventh among North American stallions who had only one crop of racing age. Mendelssohn won the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and captured the Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby the following year, retiring with $2.54 million in earnings.

Ameristralia, sired by Fastnet Rock, won four races in her native Australia and has produced three foals of racing age, including Grade 2 winner Ain’t Easy. The second dam, or maternal grandmother, Heart Ashley, is a Grade 3 winner who’s produced five winners, including a Grade 3 winner in Japan. Third dam Pretty ‘n Smart produced Grade 1 winner and current stallion Cupid, Grade 3 winner Ashley’s Kitty and stakes winner Indianapolis.

● 2021 CHIFA (1.344 ETH) – A $425,000 purchase, this filly was sired by Nyquist, the best horse ever sired by Uncle Mo. Nyquist was voted the champion juvenile male of 2015 after getting Grade 1 wins in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, FrontRunner and Del Mar Futurity. He added Grade 1 victories in the Kentucky Derby and Florida Derby the following year, retiring with $5.19 million in earnings.

Nyquist got $8.08 million in progeny earnings last year to rank second among North American stallions who had only three crops of racing age.

Chifa, sired by Orientate, won six races and earned $93,803. This is her second foal. Second dam Mindset has produced six winners, while third dam Attitude produced five, including stakes winner Sterling Outlook. Fourth dam Good Mood was a Grade 3 winner from a classy family.

● 2021 MABSOTA (1.2495 ETH) – This Ontario-bred filly will be eligible for purse bonuses and races, including lucrative stakes, at Woodbine, near Toronto. The daughter of Uncle Mo sold for $85,000.

Uncle Mo, the champion juvenile male of 2010, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Grade 1 Champagne Stakes before illness derailed his career. He got $14.5 million in progeny earnings last year to rank sixth among North American stallions.

This is the second foal from Mabsota, an unraced daughter of Shamardal. Second dam Tizdubai is a Grade 2 winner and a full sister to the highly influential stallion Tiznow and to Budroyale, a Grade 2 winner who earned $2.84 million. Tiznow, the 2000 Horse of the Year, is the only two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Tizdubai and third dam Cee’s Song have combined to produce 15 winners.

● 2021 PARDONMECOMINGTHRU (0.4011 ETH) – An $80,000 purchase, this filly has been named Gridlock. She was sired by Cross Traffic, whose injury-plagued career included a win in the Grade 1 Whitney in 2013 and $687,967 in earnings. He got $4.25 million in progeny earnings last year, ranking 80th among North American stallions. Cross Traffic’s juveniles excelled last year, however, as he ranked ninth with $1.97 million in 2-year-old progeny earnings.

Pardonmecomingthru won two races and has produced four foals of racing age, including two winners. Second dam Bridal Tea produced 10 winners, including Grade 2 winner Postponed and stakes winner Bridesmaid. Third dam Chapel of Dreams, a Grade 2 winner, produced six winners and was a half-sister to the breed-shaping stallion Storm Cat.

● 2021 CALIDEZ (reserve not attained, relisted for sale) – Sired by Sky Mesa, this filly sold for $20,000. Her injury-plagued sire was 3-for-3 as a juvenile in 2002, taking the Grade 1 Hopeful and Grade 2 Breeders’ Futurity, and retired at age 3 with $633,076 in earnings. Sky Mesa’s $69.1 million in lifetime progeny earnings place him 34th in North American racing history.

This is the third foal from Calidez, a daughter of Spring At Last who won four races. Second dam Spina won seven times and earned $270,360 but hasn’t produced a winner. Third dam Tap for Gold has produced seven winners from eight foals, including Grade 3 winner Sassy Sienna.

● 2021 MADRE DITUTTICAPI (RNA, relisted) – A $50,000 purchase, this Florida-bred filly will be eligible for purse bonuses and races, including lucrative stakes, restricted to horses bred in that state. She’s from the first crop sired by Maximus Mischief, a son of leading stallion Into Mischief who won the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes in 2018. He earned $225,700 before getting injured at age 3.

Madre Ditutticapi, sired by Street Boss, won five races and earned $193,135. This is her second foal, and she’s already produced a winner. Second dam Jack’s Touch produced seven winners, including a stakes winner in Peru. Third dam Misty Panorama produced 10 winners.

● 2021 TO COMMERCIAL (RNA, relisted) – This $11,000 Louisiana-bred colt will be eligible for purse bonuses and races, including lucrative stakes, exclusively for horses bred in that state. His sire, Flameaway, won two Grade 3 races and earned $911,634. His first crop of foals will begin racing this year.

This colt is the third foal from To Commercial, a daughter of Cat Thief who won six races and earned $148,379. Second dam Mylittlerocket produced seven winners, and third dam Mylittlefirefly was a stakes winner who produced five winners.

● 2021 FOREVER AFTER (RNA, relisted) – A $16,000 purchase, this filly is named Machiva. She was sired by Mucho Macho Man, who won the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic and earned $5.63 million. He got $3.96 million in progeny earnings last year to rank seventh among North American sires who had five crops of racing age.

Forever After, sired by Sadler’s Wells, has gotten three winners from six foals of racing age. Second dam Hunt the Sun is a full sister to European Group 1 winners Raintrap and Sunshack, and she produced Grade 1 winner Meteor Storm.

● 2021 REUNION (RNA, relisted) – This filly, named Miss Pearl Heart, sold for $17,000. Her British sire, Noble Mission, won three Group 1 stakes and earned $2.2 million. Now standing in Japan, he was sired by the great Galileo and is a full brother to racing legend Frankel. Noble Mission sired the late stallion Code of Honor, who won two Grade 1 races and earned $2.98 million.

Reunion won a maiden race at age 3, and Miss Pearl Heart is her second foal. Second dam Reunited, a Grade 3 winner, produced Code of Honor and seven other winners.

● 2021 OH KAY SEE (RNA, relisted) – Sired by 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, this colt didn’t change hands at public auction. Always Dreaming also won the Grade 1 Florida Derby in 2017 and earned $2.42 million. He got $728,027 in progeny earnings last year to rank 18th among North American stallions who had one crop of racing age.

Oh Kay See, sired by Notional, won two races and has produced three foals of racing age, with one winner. Second dam Happy Scene produced Grade 1 winner So Many Ways and three other winners from seven foals. Third dam Really Happy was a Grade 3 winner.

About Game of Silks: It’s a next-generation fantasy sports game that tokenizes each racehorse into a digital collectible that can be bought and sold. In 2023, Silks owners will receive 1% of their horses’ real-world purse earnings, a figure that’s expected to rise steadily in subsequent years.

As a dynasty fantasy contest, Game of Silks allows players to retain ownership of their horses for the duration of their racing and breeding careers, potentially earning rewards for a decade or more. Owners also are free to sell at any time.

Launched last April, Silks already is among the top 10 sports-themed NFT platforms on the Ethereum blockchain.