Kukulkan dominates Clasico del Caribe

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mexico’s undefeated Triple Crown champion Kukulkan lived up to his reputation and 1-5 backing by rallying to an easy 10 1/4-length victory over Bukowski in the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe, the main event on Saturday’s Clasico Internacional del Caribe program held for the second consecutive year at Gulfstream Park.

Kukulkan is trained by Fausto Gutierrez, who sent out the filly Jala Jala to a similarly one-sided triumph in the 2017 Clasico del Caribe. Jala Jala made history earlier in the day by becoming the first filly to sweep the two premier races on the Clasico Internacional card after beating older males in the 1 1/4-mile Confraternity Caribbean Cup. Kukulkan also gave jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. his third Clasico Internacional victory, matching his win total in this event a year ago.

Kukulkan entered the Clasico del Caribe having won all 13 previous starts. Confidently ridden by Ortiz, Kulkulkan rated in midpack for the opening five furlongs of the1 1/8-mile Clasico. He advanced readily leaving the backstretch, found ample room inside stablemate Kandinsky to wrest control near the three-furlong marker, increased his advantage under pressure to midstretch before being put under a hand ride to the end.

Bukowski, a three-time Group 1 winner in Venezuela, raced wide into the stretch and, while no match for Kukulkan, wore down Kandinsky to finish second. The Clasico scratched down to just eight starters with the defections of Senor Ben Hur and Apistos.

Kukulkan, a son of Point Determined, is owned by Cuadra San Jorge. He completed 1 1/8 miles over a fast but deep racetrack in 1:54.80 and paid $2.60.

“This is like a dream,” said Gutierrez when asked about winning the Clasico del Caribe for a second year in a row.

“This is a horse who has a lot of stamina, he won very easy today. Irad took the horse back, let him relax and relax, and when he decided to go, he won very easy. He’s very professional. He’s a real race horse.”

When asked if he’d consider bringing Kukulkan back to Gulfstream Park for the $9 million Pegasus World Cup on January 26, Gutierrez’s response was quick and to the point.

“Why not,” he said with a smile.

Jala Jala, who captured the Clasico de Caribe by nine lengths under Ortiz over a sloppy track in 2017, rallied from off the pace to a 4 3/4-length decision over Fray Angelico in the Confraternity Cup. It was another 10 1/2 lengths farther back to Exclusivo in third. Exclusivo came into the race riding a 13-race winning streak dating to the 2016 campaign.

Jala Jala, like Kukulkan, is by Point Determined and owned by Cuadra San Jorge. She covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:08.46 and returned $4.40 to win.

“Jala Jala is amazing,” Gutierrez said. “This was a really complicated race and this was the first time she’s ever run the distance and she also won very easy with the same style as Kukulkan.”

Mexico was the only country represented in the Clasico Internacional with more than a single victory as a result of Kukulkan and Jala Jala posting back-to-back wins to end the day. Puerto Rico won the opening event, the Invitational Cup, with the odds-on Mishigas ($2.60).

Panama countered when Brigantia ($15.40) rallied to capture the Lady Caribbean Cup for 3-year-old fillies while Venezuela got on the board by virtue of Big Boris One’s ($7.40) three-quarter-length tally in the six-furlong Caribbean Speed Stakes.