Kukulkan takes aim at Pegasus

Kukulkan, the Mexico-based 3-year-old who won the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe on Dec. 8 at Gulfstream Park, will run next in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 26, according to a track press release.

Winner of Mexico’s Triple Crown and undefeated in 14 races, Kukulkan was shipped back to Mexico the week after the Clasico and has been galloping at Hipodromo Las Americas. Trainer Fausto Gutierrez said Kukulkan will ship to Florida on Jan. 17.

“The horse is galloping here in Mexico, and we will breeze him twice before he leaves,” he said.

Among those Kukulkan is expected to face are Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Accelerate, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner City of Light, BC Classic runner-up Gunnevera, Florida Derby winner Audible, Preakness runner-up Bravazo, and Cigar Mile winner Pattern-recognition. Others expected to run are Leofric, Seeking the Soul, Something Awesome, and Unbridled Juan.

“I know competition is very, very strong, but we want to try and give the horse a chance,” Gutierrez said.

Kukulkan earned a 71 Beyer Speed Figure in the Clasico del Caribe, 34 points lower than Accelerate’s figure in the BC Classic and almost 50 points lower than the number earned by Gun Runner in the 2018 Pegasus World Cup.

Gulfstream Park also reported that Gunnevera breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Saturday at Gulfstream Park West, the second fastest of 18 works at the distance. The breeze was Gunnevera’s third since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz Jr. has been aboard Gunnevera for all three works and said the horse is “getting better and better.”

“Today, he worked better than the last couple times,” Ortiz said Saturday. “He’s doing everything comfortable. I put my hands down and he does whatever he wants. We’re just keeping him happy.”

Gunnevera, trained by Antonio Sano, closed to within a length of the victorious Accelerate in the BC Classic after being bumped at the start and having to come from 11th.

“He has a big heart,” Ortiz said. “He always tries. He didn’t have the best trip and just got beat.”

Gunnevera finished third behind Gun Runner and West Coast in last year’s Pegasus World Cup.

Accelerate breezed five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Saturday morning at Santa Anita, according to the press release.