Mexican Triple Crown Winner Tackles Caribbean Classic

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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Kenny Martin
Jala Jala won last year's Caribbean Classic Stakes and is back for this year's Confraternity Caribbean Cup Stakes

After winning the first 13 races of his career in Mexico and sweeping that country's Triple Crown, Kukulkan will take on the top horses from his region in the $300,000 Caribbean Classic Stakes Dec. 8 at Gulfstream Park.

The Caribbean Classic is one of five stakes on Saturday's Clasico Internacional del Caribe card for horses bred or based in the Caribbean and Latin America. It's the second straight year Gulfstream has hosted the event.


Campaigned by Cuadra San Jorge, Kukulkan swept the Mexican Triple Crown races this year with clear victories in the Derby Mexicano, Jockey Club Mexicano, and Gran Premio Nacional. 

The son of Point Determined won the Sept. 29 Clasico Criadores Mexicanos (a regional grade 1 race in Mexico) by 12 1/2 lengths for his fourth top-level win this season. That race was contested at the Caribbean Classic's 1 1/8-mile distance, as was his most recent race—an 11-length score.

(Mexico is a Part III racing jurisdiction in the International Cataloging Standards, meaning the country's grades are not recognized by Society of Thoroughbred Auctioneers sales organizations, but they do indicate the status of those races in Mexico).

Kukulkan is trained by Fausto Gutierrez, who won this race last year with the filly Jala Jala.


Video

"It's a very different situation from last year with Jala Jala. She was 10-1 and a filly with the boys," Gutierrez said. "Now, this is pressure because all the eyes are on him, but this is the position that every trainer wants to have, not just to come and see what's happening."

Gutierrez said Kukulkan has shipped well to South Florida.

"The horse looks good. He's had good adaptation. His workouts have been very nice. Yesterday when he went for his schooling, he was again very professional. He checked everything out," Gutierrez said. "I think he's ready."

Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the mount on Kukulkan for the first time. The New York-based Ortiz is a native of Puerto Rico, one of the racing jurisdictions represented in the event. A number of U.S.-based riders with roots in the participating racing jurisdictions are competing.

Click here to watch Kukulkan work at Gulfstream Park

Representing Puerto Rico in the race will be El Salsero, who scored by six lengths in the Oct. 14 Clasico Antonio Fernandez Castrillon Stakes (G2) at Hipódromo Camarero. (Puerto Rico is an ICS Part II jurisdiction, which means black type is listed for the top three finishers.)

The Caribbean Classic features three horses entered off back-to-back stakes wins in their respective countries. Sol De Orion won a pair of grade 2 races in Panama (a Part II country) at the 1 1/8-mile distance, Bukowski won a pair of grade 1 races in Venezuela (Part II), and Apistos won a pair of stakes there.

Three other races in the event are for horses bred in the region: the $100,000 Confraternity Caribbean Cup Stakes at 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-olds and older, the $105,800 Carribbean Cup Speed Stakes for sprinters, and the $89,000 Lady Caribbean Cup Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

In addition to those races, the $77,500 Invitational Cup Stakes is a 1 1/4-mile race for 3-year-olds and older who have been imported into the region.

San Jorge's Jala Jala, a 4-year-old daughter of Point Determined, is back for this year's Confraternity Caribbean Cup Stakes, where she'll try to become the first filly to win the event's top race for 3-year-olds and top race for older horses.

"Jala Jala has been very good here. This is going to be a very historical race because she would be the first filly to win the two big competitions—the Derby and the race for the older horses. It is very nice this year. The expectations are good for our stable," Gutierrez said. "She is doing as well going into this race as she was at the same time last year, and now she knows the place better. It's very good."

In addition to saddling Kukulkan and Jala Jala, Gutierrez will also send out Mexican Filly Triple Crown winner Kutzamala for a start in the $89,000 Lady Caribbean Cup Stakes.

San Jorge's Kutzamala, a daughter of Point Determined, won four straight top-level races in Mexico before finishing fourth in her most recent start. She didn't get off to the best start after arriving at Gulfstream Nov. 15.

"She had problems when she came here," Gutierrez said. "She had colic when she was in quarantine, and we had to stop everything for one week. It made us think whether it was correct to run or not, but she recovered in very good form. To stop seven days and have to start again and gain weight and condition is not easy, but she's a Triple Crown winner in Mexico, too.

"I'm sure she'll run very good. She's doing good and happy. Otherwise, I wouldn't run her."

In the six-furlong Caribbean Cup Speed Stakes, Carlos Lee's La Polla is entered off back-to-back victories in her native Panama, including a one-length score Oct. 28 in the Ruben Orillac Alfaro and Ruben Orillac Perez Stakes (G2) at the Speed Stakes distance.

The top two finishers from last year's Invitational Cup are back in winner Coltimus Prime of Panama and runner-up El Kurdo of Ecuador. Rene Douglas owns Coltimus Prime.


Entries: Caribbean Classic S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 08, 2018, Race 11

  • STK
  • 1 1/8m
  • Dirt
  • $300,000
  • 3 yo
  • 4:50 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1My Racing Mate (VEN) Leonel Reyes 118 Cesar Cachazo 15/1
2 2Dario Ruth (PAN) John R. Velazquez 118 Miguel Mugaburu 20/1
3 3Kukulkan (MEX) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Fausto Gutierrez 3/5
4 4El Salsero (PR) Edwin Castro 118 Jose M. Arroyo 20/1
5 5Sol De Orion (PAN) Jose Lezcano 118 Mario Estevez 6/1
6 6Senor Ben Hur (PAN) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Mario Estevez 10/1
7 7Kandinsky (MEX) Javier Castellano 118 Fausto Gutierrez 20/1
8 8Apistos (VEN) Luis Saez 118 Fernando Parilli 15/1
9 9Literario (MEX) Manuel Franco 118 Vicente Davila 20/1
10 10Bukowski (VEN) Emisael Jaramillo 118 Juan Carlos Avila 6/1




Entries: Confraternity Caribbean Cup S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 08, 2018, Race 10

  • STK
  • 1 1/4m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 4:16 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Justiciero (PR) Jose L. Ortiz 122 Victor Barboza, Jr. 12/1
2 2Jala Jala (MEX) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 114 Fausto Gutierrez 9/5
3 3Mr. Jerry (MEX) Elvin Gonzalez 122 Ariel Ruiz 20/1
4 4Inspirato (MEX) Manuel Franco 122 Vicente Davila 15/1
5 5Black Widow (VEN) Edgard J. Zayas 114 Jose R. Rojas 12/1
6 6Bold Master (PR) Emisael Jaramillo 122 Victor Barboza, Jr. 12/1
7 7Dynamo (PAN) Miguel Angel Vasquez 122 Rafael A. Fernandez 10/1
8 8Exclusivo (PR) Juan C. Diaz 122 Jose M. Arroyo 2/1
9 9Fray Angelico (PAN) Luis Saez 122 Alberto Paz-Rodriguez 9/2




Entries: Caribbean Cup Speed S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 08, 2018, Race 9

  • STK
  • 6f
  • Dirt
  • $105,800
  • 3 yo
  • 3:46 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Don William R (PR) Javier Santiago 118 Victor Carrasco, Jr. 20/1
2 2La Polla (PAN) Angel Rodriguez 110 Rodrigo Jaen 3/1
3 3Magno (MEX) Elvin Gonzalez 118 Juan Ruiz 10/1
4 4El Titi (PAN) Jose J. Sanchez 118 Rodrigo Jaen 7/2
5 5Hierro Colado (VEN) Emisael Jaramillo 118 Gilberto Zerpa 6/1
6 6You Never Know (PAN) Miguel Angel Vasquez 118 Jose Perez 20/1
7 7Big Boris One (VEN) Paco Lopez 118 Juan Carlos Avila 8/1
8 8Tati (MEX) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 110 Vicente Davila 5/1
9 9Candy Power (PAN) Jose L. Ortiz 110 Rafael A. Fernandez 9/2




Entries: Lady Caribbean Cup S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 08, 2018, Race 8

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $89,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 3:16 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Visionaria (VEN) Leonel Reyes 118 Ramon M. Garcia 6/1
2 2Regalada (PR) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Jose M. Arroyo 8/1
3 3Kutzamala (MEX) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Fausto Gutierrez 7/2
4 4Etruska (MEX) Elvin Gonzalez 118 Jose R. Silva 5/1
5 5Brigantia (PAN) Luis Saez 118 Alberto Paz-Rodriguez 3/1
6 6Rosa Salvaje (PAN) Javier Castellano 118 Rodrigo Jaen 4/1
7 7Salmiana (MEX) Manoel R. Cruz 118 Efren Loza, Jr. 20/1
8 8La Coronada (PAN) Emisael Jaramillo 118 Alberto Paz-Rodriguez 20/1
9 9Lady Slam (VEN) Manuel Franco 118 Fernando Parilli 12/1




Entries: Invitational Cup S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 08, 2018, Race 7

  • STK
  • 1 1/4m
  • Dirt
  • $77,500
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 2:46 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Going Strong (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Nicky Figueroa 122 Alison Escobar 10/1
2 2Mishegas (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Jose D. Velez 4/1
3 3Coltimus Prime (ON) John R. Velazquez 122 Marcial Navarro 3/1
4 4Wildcat Wish (FL)Keeneland Sales Graduate Manuel Franco 122 Fausto Gutierrez 12/1
5 5Trincheto (ARG) Jose Lezcano 122 Guillermo Martucci 10/1
6 6California Music (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Luis Saez 122 Alberto Paz-Rodriguez 9/5
7 7El Kurdo (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tyler Gaffalione 122 Chad Summers 9/2