Defending champion McKulick found her ideal conditions in Thursday’s $250,000 Glens Falls (G2) at Saratoga, and the Klaravich Stables runner seized the opportunity with enthusiasm. While stepping back up to 1 1/2 miles was in itself a plus, two additional factors contributed to her repeat: the pace served up by stablemate Royalty Interest, and the rain that left the turf course rated good.
Patiently handled by regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr., McKulick settled in sixth, with only deep-closing Atomic Blonde behind her. Up front, fellow Chad Brown trainee Royalty Interest carved out splits of :23.89, :48.17, 1:13.63. That tempo was markedly faster than last year’s Glens Falls, when McKulick just got up to dethrone War Like Goddess.
The stronger pace on Thursday did more than help McKulick, the 2.30-1 second choice. It also undermined 1.90-1 favorite Eternal Hope, who was a bit too on the muscle in her seasonal reappearance. Expending energy while closely tracking Royalty Interest, Eternal Hope took over turning for home and tried to establish separation. But the Godolphin representative could not put the race away.
By that point, McKulick was motoring down the outside. The British-bred daughter of Frankel had too much firepower in the final furlong, driving to a 2 1/4-length victory in 2:27.89.
Parnac stayed on well to edge Chop Chop by a head for second. Eternal Hope tired to fourth, followed by Atomic Blonde, Alpha Bella, and Royalty Interest.
“Worked out beautiful,” Ortiz recapped. “We had the outside post. We don’t want to lose too much ground (going) three turns, so he (Brown_ told me, ‘try to save as much ground as you can.’ I tried to be the last one to start going forward because I feel like I got some horse. It worked out perfect.
“She was traveling beautiful right behind Chop Chop, and she’s a live filly,” Ortiz said of Chop Chop, “so I take my time and say, ‘she’s going to take me somewhere.’ I bide my time and start going forward at the three-eighths pole, hit the clear, and my filly responded all the way to the wire.”
McKulick is now a perfect 3-for-3 going 1 1/2 miles, having taken the March 30 Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park between her two Glens Falls trophies. The five-year-old has bankrolled $1,887,290 from her career record of 18-7-5-2. McKulick, who broke her maiden on debut at Saratoga in 2021, has competed exclusively in graded stakes company ever since.
A six-time stakes winner whose other victories came in the 2022 Belmont Oaks (G1) and Jockey Club Oaks (G3) and the 2023 Waya (G3), McKulick earned her first black-type when she was third in the Miss Grillo (G2) as a juvenile. The bay also placed in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), Saratoga Oaks (G3), Regret (G3), and Edgewood (G2) during her sophomore campaign, and at four in 2023, she added minor awards in the New York (G1) and Flower Bowl (G2). She was coming off a steadily closing fifth in the June 7 renewal of the New York, which was trimmed to 1 3/16 miles (from 1 1/4 miles) with the transfer to Saratoga.
“Getting her back out to three turns and the mile and a half distance is really what she wants to do,” Brown said of McKulick’s return to the winner’s circle in the Glens Falls.
“She was in a couple races this year that weren’t that good after a great five-year-old debut at Gulfstream (in the Orchid), and I was a little disappointed. The last race, I thought maybe the two turns got her (in the New York). She really needs the three turns as a five-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.
“There are so many factors with turf horses,” her trainer continued. “Every course is a little different. Let’s not forget we had some rain last night, and she loves a little give in the ground. Has she won on firm, yes, she won at Gulfstream Park and it’s always firm down there, but at her very best, she’s better with some moisture in the ground.”
McKulick didn’t enjoy the conditions in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Santa Anita, trailing in a 1 1/4-mile affair that was always unfolding too quickly for her.
“The Breeders’ Cup is a big step up,” Brown said of the possibility of trying again over 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar. “We’ve seen that before with her. 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.”
The Flower Bowl, a 1 3/8-mile contest back at the Spa on Aug. 31, serves as a “Win and You’re In” for the Filly & Mare Turf. A rematch is likely on tap with Parnac, who stole the 2023 Flower Bowl, and relegated McKulick to a never-nearer second.
An approximately $245,549 Tattersalls October yearling purchase, McKulick was bred by Essafinaat UK Ltd. She is a half-sister to German classic winner Fearless King and Group 2 scorer Just Beautiful. Their dam, the Group 3-placed Astrelle, is a Makfi half-sister to Group 2 hero Porsenna and multiple Group-placed stakes victor Basileus.
