By Bill Finley
Kukulkan (Mex) (Point Determined) has already proven that he is among the greatest horses ever bred and raced in Mexico, but how will he fare against some of the best dirt horses in the U.S.? That question will be answered Jan. 28 at Gulfstream when the soon-to-be- 4-year-old will take on Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky) and other major stars in the GI Pegasus World Cup.
Trainer Fausto Gutierrez has confirmed to the Thoroughbred Daily News that his unbeaten horse will return to Gulfstream for the $9 million race. He was last seen in South Florida demolishing a field of fellow horses from Latin American countries in the $300,000 Caribbean Classic S., a race he won by 10 1/4 lengths.
Before coming to Florida, Kukulkan was 13 fort 13 in his native country and the winner of the Mexican Triple Crown. Sent off at 3-10 in the Caribbean Classic he never faced a serious challenge from his fellow horses from Latin America.
Gutierrez is well aware that the Pegasus World Cup will be a much tougher assignment.
“We understand how much more difficult this race will be than the Caribbean Classic,” he said. “But we had a good experience in his first race at Gulfstream and we think we have to give the opportunity to the horse. It is like a dream for us. We know how hard this is going to be, but we feel like it's something we have to do. It' the type experience we'll only get once chance once in our lifetimes.”
While Gutierrez said he has confidence his horse can win, he added: “I'd be very happy if the horse finished in the first three or four.”
The horse will arrive back at Gulfstream Jan. 17. He was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Caribbean Classic, but Ortiz is committed to Gunnevera (Dialed In). Gutierrez said he was planning to reach out to John Velazquez to see if he were available to ride. He also mentioned Frankie Dettori as an another alternative.
The speed figures earned by Kukulkan in the Caribbean Classic indicate that he will not be competitive with the top American horses in the Classic. In fact, it would come as no surprise if he were to lose by 20 or 30 lengths. But Gutierrez said his owner is a sportsman and wants to give his horse as chance to prove himself against the best in the world. Of course, that opportunity, does not come cheaply. It costs $500,000 to secure a spot in the Pegasus.
That may not be much of an imposition for owner Germán Larrea, who runs under the stable name Cuadra San Jorge. He is also the breeder of the horse.
Larrea, 77, is the CEO of Grupo México, Mexico's largest mining corporation, and the third largest copper producer in the world. According to Forbes, he is worth $17 billion, making him the second richest person in Mexico behind Carlos Slim.
“He's a person who loves the horse,” Gutierrez said. “He has 200 horses stabled at the track in Mexico City. He has to be one of the biggest owners in the world. I don't know of any other owner who had 200 horses stabled at the same racetrack like he does.”
Larrea also won the 2017 Carribean Classic, the first run at Gulfstream with Jala Jala (MEX) (Point Determined).
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