Mexican Triple Crown Winner Kukulkan Back in Florida
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Leslie Martin
Kukulkan wins the Clasico del Caribe at Gulfstream Park
Undefeated Mexican superstar Kukulkan arrived in South Florida Jan. 18 in advance of his next scheduled start in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.
Cuadra San Jorge's Kukulkan was led off a plane at Miami International Airport at 11:30 a.m. ET and will take up residence Jan. 19 at Gulfstream, where he scored a 10 1/4-length romp in the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe Dec. 8 to improve his record to 14-0.
Video
Following his victory, Kukulkan returned to Mexico with trainer Fausto Gutierrez to prepare for the Pegasus, which, like the Clasico del Caribe, is contested at 1 1/8 miles. On Jan. 16, the 4-year-old Point Determined colt breezed seven furlongs in 1:29 and galloped out to a mile in 1:42, according to Gutierrez.
Video
"He did it easy. I'm very pleased," Gutierrez said. "The last two furlongs he did very, very easy. Everything is good."
Mexico's champion 2-year-old colt in 2017, Kukulkan's undefeated career includes six Mexican top-level victories, including the country's Triple Crown. He has earned US$326,484 so far.
Bred in Mexico by Rancho San Jorge, Kukulkan is out of the Kentucky-bred mare The Real Mayo, who has four winners, including Clasico Criadores Mexicanos runner-up Jamanay.
Internationally acclaimed jockey Frankie Dettori has the mount on Kukulkan for the Pegasus.