Saratoga: McKulick upsets War Like Goddess to win Glens Falls

While so much attention paid to two-time defending winner War Like Goddess in Thursday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls Stakes, it was McKulick who stole the show at 4-1 odds with a sweeping move from off the pace to notch a neck victory Thursday in the 1 1/2-mile, inner-turf race for older fillies and mares at Saratoga.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, McKulick improved from a last-out third to stablemate Marketsegmentation in the New York (G1) on June 9 at Belmont Park to earn the third graded victory of her career, adding to wins last year in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) in July and Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G3) in October at Belmont at the Big A, the latter of which was her latest trip to the winner’s circle before the Glens Falls.

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“I thought she ran better than it looked at Belmont, I really do. It was a really paceless race,” said Brown, who won his first Glens Falls. “Obviously, I won with my other horse, and they were walking. This time she had more real estate and around three turns. It’s a whole different ballgame to make up off a slow pace at Saratoga than Belmont.”

The win was meaningful for Brown, who named McKulick after Mary McKulick, the late bookkeeper who helped Brown launch his training operation more than 15 years ago.

“It was just me and her on day 1,” Brown said. “She was a really integral part of the foundation of my company. I really wouldn’t be standing here today had I not had someone with her expertise in bookkeeping, organization and management of a training operation.”

Ridden to victory from post 4 by Irad Ortiz Jr., the filly owned by Klaravich Stables broke cleanly and was held near the rear of the field as long shot Elegant Taste rushed up to take command over a prominent Vergara. War Like Goddess, who preserved her rail-skimming position after breaking from the inside post, was headstrong in the first turn, tossing her head as jockey Joel Rosario kept a tight hold behind opening splits of 24.84 and 50.01 seconds set by Elegant Taste over the firm footing.

McKulick raced comfortably two wide from the rail in fifth into the backstretch with the running order unchanged through three-quarter miles in 1:15.29. War Like Goddess and Virginia Joy, McKulick’s stablemate, raced in tandem for third position. Amazing Grace made a bold bid through an opening along the inside in attempt of getting the jump on McKulick but lost ground abruptly as Elegant Taste backpedaled into her path, and she faded from the lead.

With Vergara at the helm in the final turn, War Like Goddess was angled off the rail for her bid for the front. Virginia Joy was asked for her best run widest of all. McKulick was left 2 1/4 lengths behind at the top of the stretch with War Like Goddess in a heated battle with a stubborn Vergara before the latter gave way in the final sixteenth, and War Like Goddess appeared to be drawing off to victory. A resolute McKulick dug in bravely in the final strides to the wire when shown a right-handed crop by Ortiz and swept past her accomplished foe to cross the wire first at a final time of 2:27.05.

War Like Goddess, the 1-2 post-time favorite, settled for place honors 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Amazing Grace, who re-rallied gamely late in the stretch after losing ground in the final turn. Sopran Basilea, Vergara, Virginia Joy and Elegant Taste completed the finish in that order.

Sopran Basilea was pulled up in the gallop out. According to the NYRA’s attending veterinarian, Sopran Basilea incurred a catastrophic injury to her right front leg and was humanely euthanized on track.

Brown said Ortiz’s heads-up decision to follow the run of War Like Goddess was crucial in notching the victory.

“Irad rode a masterful race. Early on when War Like Goddess had position ahead of us and was a little rank and such, he carefully stayed behind her,” Brown said. “When she came off the rail down the backside before the final turn, Irad cleverly got off the rail as well and followed her and stayed away from the horse that was stopping on the rail. All those moves, particularly that one down the backside, really made the difference today.”

The Glens Falls was the seventh stakes win of the meet for Ortiz, who said the trip went exactly to plan.

“She broke good, and Chad told me just to cover her up and to just bide my time until she was ready, and that’s what I did. I followed instructions, and she got the job done,” Ortiz said. “I broke so good that I was right behind Virginia Joy and War Like Goddess, who were two live horses to follow, so I just followed them, because I was travelling good. At the shorter distances the horses kick away from her, and it’s hard for her to catch up with them. She doesn’t have that turn of foot, but she always comes running late. For these kind of longer races, her style is great. It fit her perfect.”

Brown said McKulick will target the 1 3/8-mile Flower Bowl (G2) on Sept. 2 at the Saratoga, a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Bred in Great Britain by Essafinaat UK, McKulick banked $137,500 in victory and improved her lifetime record to 11: 4-4-2. She returned $10.40 for a $2 win ticket.

Rosario said while multiple graded-stakes winning War Like Goddess was denied a third Glens Falls win, the daughter of English Channel gave her all in defeat.

"She felt good,” Rosario said. “She looked like she was pulling for me today like she always does. It was good. I thought for a second that she was going to get the job done, but that horse came strong on the outside, but good effort from her.”