HorseracingFLA Staff Report
Mexico’s Triple Crown champion Kukulkan extended his career undefeated streak to 14 on Saturday with a 10 ¼-length triumph over Venezuelan-based Burkowski in the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe at Gulfstream Park.
Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Kukulkan and had two other winners in the five-race Clasico Internacional del Caribe program, which Gulfstream held for the second straight year. Those races are restricted to horses based in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Clasico del Caribe is a 1/8-mile dirt stakes for 3-year-olds, Kukulkan took the lead after three-quarterss of amile and pulled away to win in 1:54.80 on the track listed as fast.
Ortiz, who rode three winners during last year’s event, repeated the achievement Saturday with victories aboard Kukulkan, Puerto Rico’s Mishegas in the Copa Invitacional and Mexico’s Jala Jala, whom he rode to victory in last year’s Clasico del Caribe, in the Copa Confraternidad del Caribe.
Trainer Fausto Gutierrez saddled Kukulkan and Jala Jala on Saturday. Both horses are homebreds of Cuadra San Jorge.
Kukulkan is a Mexican-bred son of Point Deterrmined and is out of the Bernardini mare The Real Mayo. Point Deterrmined and Bernardini were both graded stakes winners in the United States.
