McKulick (GB)

English-bred McKulick was purchased by agent Mike Ryan for Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables at the 2020 Tattersalls October yearling auction, going for $245,369. The Frankel filly was sent to stable trainer Chad Brown made her debut Aug. 8, 2021, at Saratoga, winning a 1 1/16-mile maiden event on turf by 1 ½ lengths as the 0.95-1 favorite.

Over the next 11 months, McKulick made three starts, all in graded stakes. She hit the board each time, finishing third in the 2021 Miss Grillo Stakes and second in both the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes and the Grade 3 Regret Stakes in spring 2022, but still had not fulfilled her early potential.

On July 9 in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes, McKulick put it all together, rallying from a midpack position to win the 1 ¼-mile race by 1 ¾ lengths over English stakes winner With the Moonlight.

McKulick was back in the winner's circle again on Sept. 17 in the Grade 3 $700,000 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at the Belmont at the Big A meet. Mckulick topped the six-horse field going 1 3/8 miles on the Aqueduct turf course in 2:12.38 to score as the 4-5 favorite.

McKulick returned to go off as the 4-5 favorite in her next start in the Grade 1 $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 15, when she got the best of a three-way place photo and settled for second in a six-horse field. She extended her streak of finishing in the exacta to six graded stakes races in a row.

McKulick is out of the Group 3-placed Makfi filly Astrelle and is a half-sister to English Group 3 winner Just Beautiful and German Group 2 winner Fearless King.