McKulick wins the Glens Falls (NYRA/Coglianese)
By Christian Abdo – NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Klaravich Stables’ Grade 1-winner McKulick put her class on display when closing to a title-defense victory in Thursday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls, a 1 1/2-mile inner turf route for older fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the 5-year-old Frankel bay began her campaign with a half-length victory at the distance in the Grade 3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream Park. She followed with off-the-board efforts in the 11-furlong Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay in May at Belmont at the Big A and last-out in the 1 3/16-mile Grade 1 New York presented by Rivers Casino on June 7 here.
Last year, McKulick denied multiple Grade 1-winning multimillionaire War Like Goddess her third consecutive Glens Falls glory and she rose to the occasion yet again with her own title on the line on Thursday at the Spa.
“Getting her back out to three turns and the mile and a half distance is really what she wants to do. She was in a couple races this year that weren’t that good after a great 5-year-old debut at Gulfstream and I was a little disappointed,” said Brown. “She really needs the three turns as a 5-year-old. She trained super coming into this race. I was cautiously optimistic that we would see the real McKulick today with the way she trained.”
Piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., McKulick broke alertly from the outermost post 7 and settled into sixth position, well off the pace set by fellow Brown-trainee Royalty Interest who led the field through an opening quarter-mile of 23.89 seconds on the good turf.
The Eric Cancel-piloted Royalty Interest continued to lead as the field passed the wire for the first time through a half-mile in 48.17 while tracked by Eternal Hope, who sought position sufficient to bring jockey Flavien Prat, trainer Charlie Appleby, and owner Godolphin another graded stakes after winning Sunday’s Grade 2 Bowling Green with Silver Knott.
The field traveled in a nearly single file line through the clubhouse turn with Ortiz, Jr. content to sit off the tempo as three-quarters elapsed in 1:13.63. Down the backside, the field became much more compact with Eternal Hope nearly on even-terms with the early pacesetter and Alpha Bella remained in striking distance.
“We had the outside post. We don’t want to lose too much ground [going] three turns, so he [Chad Brown] told me, ‘try to save as much ground as you can,’” said Ortiz, Jr. “I tried to be the last one to start going forward because I feel like I got some horse. It worked out perfect.”
After one-mile in 1:38.97, Dylan Davis advanced aboard Parnac, with Chop Chop also creeping closer to the front-end as McKulick was still sixth.
Ortiz, Jr. could wait no longer in the final turn and angled McKulick out for her run.
Eternal Hope assumed command at the top of the lane but not for long as McKulick rapidly gobbled up ground with her wide bid after 10 furlongs were covered in 2:03.61.
By the stretch call, McKulick was fully unleashed and she quickly opened up a half-length on Eternal Hope as Davis asked Parnac to fight on from fourth to the inside of Chop Chop.
The classy McKulick’s late turn-of-foot was far too much for her foes, as she crossed the wire 2 1/4-lengths in front of Parnac in a final time of 2:27.89.
Chop Chop was edged by a head for place-honors, with Eternal Hope hanging on for fourth 1 1/2 lengths back. Atomic Blonde, Alpha Bella, and Royalty Interest completed the order of finish.
Brown said a potential next start for McKulick could be the 11-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl on August 31 here, which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar.
The conditioner added that he needs to see more from the mare before taking that step up to the Breeders’ Cup again, as she finished last-of-12 in the last year’s running of the Filly and Mare Turf.
“This was a solid field here today, but the Breeders’ Cup is high cotton. You’re stepping up on the world’s stage and I don’t know if she’s quite up to that level, but we’ll enjoy this win and the Flower Bowl is a likely target, then we’ll take it from there,” said Brown.
Davis said the Christophe Clement-trained Parnac was game in defeat to a formidable foe that she beat in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl last August here.
“McKulick had a nice momentum run on the outside but I thought she was really game. Even through the wire, she felt like she was wanting to try and catch that horse again,” said Davis. “She’s back in form and running well and they [the connections] just mentioned the Flower Bowl, so I think she’s going to be tough.”
Bred in Great Britain by Essafinaat UK, McKulick, a $245,369 purchase from the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, is out of the Makfi mare Astrelle. She banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 18-7-5-2 and returning $6.60 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Friday with a 10-race program that features a pair of Grade 2 turf events, including the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks [Race 8] and the $500,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame [Race 9]. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
