Mendelssohn Filly Tops Strong Opening Session of Midlantic May Two-Year-Olds in Training

Monday, May 22, 2023
mendelssohn filly midlantic fasig-tipton
Hip 245 | Fasig-Tipton Photo

Strong trade marked the opening session of the 2023 Midlantic May Two-Year-Olds in Training sale held Monday in Timonium, Maryland. Gross, average, and median trended up over last year’s successful renewal, and nearly a quarter of those sold during the session sold for six figures.

A filly by Mendelssohn (Hip 245) topped the opening session when sold for $800,000 to Speedway Stable from the consignment of Paul Sharp, agent (video). The filly worked an eighth in 10.1 during the Wednesday session of last week’s under tack show. From the second crop of her Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winning sire, the gray or roan filly is out of the stakes placed Hansen mare Lady Hansen and is a direct descendant of Champion Turf Mare De La Rose.

A colt from the second crop of Awesome Slew (Hip 91) was the top-priced male of the session, selling for $700,000 to Maverick Racing/Siena Farm/CMNWLTH from the consignment of Tom McCrocklin, agent (video). The colt worked an eighth in 10.0 during the Tuesday session of the under tack show. Out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Cash Reserve, the Florida-bred colt is a half-brother to six winners, including stakes performers Reckling and Campy Cash. Hip 91 hails from the immediate family of multiple Grade 1 winner Diversify.

Rounding out the session’s top five prices were:

  • A filly by Uncle Mo (Hip 186), sold for $625,000 to Solis/Litt from the consignment of Pick View LLC, agent. The bay filly is out of a Gabriellestoblame, a winning half-sister to Uncle Mo’s first-crop champion Nyquist. Hip 186 was bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm.
  • A colt by Tapit (Hip 250), sold for $600,000 to Steven W. Young, agent, from the consignment of Julie Davies LLC, agent. The chestnut colt is a half-brother to five winners, including Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Jaywalk and multiple stakes winner Danzatrice, who produced this year’s Blue Grass S. (G1) victor Tapit Trice, by Tapit. Hip 250 was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds.
  • A colt by Not This Time (Hip 198), sold for $500,000 to Speedway Stables from the consignment of Pick View LLC, agent. The gray or roan colt is a half-brother to four winners and hails from the immediate family of Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Summerly.

During Monday’s session, 161 juveniles changed hands for $16,975,000, up 7.7% from last year’s opening session when 172 hips sold for $15,755,700. The session average was $105,435, up 15.1% from $91,603 last year, while the session-to-session median rose 20% to $60,000 from $50,000 in 2022. The RNA rate held steady at 25%.

Session results are available online. The Midlantic May Two-Year-Olds in Training sale resumes Tuesday at 11 AM.