McKulick Adds to Legacy With Second Glens Falls Win
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
McKulick wins the Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Naming a horse after a famous or special person is not a guarantee for success.
Sometimes it works out fabulously and sometimes, well, the horse fades into obscurity.
History buffs may remember Chris Evert, the 1974 champion 3-year-old filly named for the famed tennis star.
But do they remember her stablemate, Bobby Murcer, named for the New York Yankees outfielder?
That's unlikely.
Which is why there were so many smiles Aug.1 when a mare named after a person who meant so much to trainer Chad Brown added another laurel to a career that has already honored her namesake in such heartwarming fashion.
Klaravich Stables' McKulick , named for Brown's late bookkeeper and friend Mary McKulick, added to her feel-good story when she won the $250,000 Glens Falls Stakes (G2T) for a second straight year Thursday at Saratoga Race Course.
"This is just a great story," Brown said about the daughter of Frankel , a champion named for Brown's late mentor Bobby Frankel. "(Mary McKulick's) two brothers are here today and it's great that they were here to be a part of such a special day for everyone."
McKulick's latest Glens Falls score was her seventh win in 18 career starts and lifted the grade 1 winner's earnings to $1,887,290 with six graded stakes wins.
"She's a lovely filly who is going to make a lovely momma at some point," owner Seth Klarman said.
While 1 1/2-mile races are hard to find, McKulick surely excels in them as she owns a perfect 3-for-3 mark at the distance, a record fashioned by her two Glens Falls wins and a victory earlier this year in the Orchid Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park. In her other two 2024 starts, both at shorter distances, she was no better than fourth.
"When she was younger, we really wanted to stretch her out in distance," Brown said about the 5-year-old who won the 1 1/4-mile Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) as a 3-year-old. "Once we got her there, I think cutting her back in between certain races became more of a challenge than we anticipated. I tried to pull her back and she wasn't as effective anymore as she was with the three-turn races. You just have to run in those races now and she'll certainly now be running longer distances."
McKulick's stablemate Royalty Interest set the pace in the marathon test while pressed by Godolphin's Eternal Hope , the 9-5 favorite and grade 2 winner making her first start since October.
The pair carved out a half-mile in :48.17 and a mile and a quarter in 2:03.61 on the good turf but came up short in the stretch. As Royalty Interest faded to last in the field of seven fillies and mares, Eternal Hope stayed in contention until the eighth pole when jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and McKulick used a six-wide move to grab the lead and draw clear to a 2 1/4-length victory in 2:27.89.
Bred by Essafinaat UK, the daughter of the Makfi mare Astrelle was the 2-1 second choice and paid $6.60.
"She's the best. She loves it here and she knows how to find the finish line," Klarman said.
West Point Thoroughbreds and Dream With Me Stable's Parnac , winner of last year's Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) for trainer Christophe Clement, was second. The daughter of Zarak was a head in front of Selective's Chop Chop , a City of Light filly trained by Brad Cox.
McKulick was bought for $245,370 from the Hazelwood Bloodstock consignment at the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. A half sister to group 2 winners Fearless King and Just Beautiful , McKulick is the third of six foals from Astrelle and her third graded/group stakes winner. She also has a 2-year-old filly by Pinatubo .