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 returned to begin her 4-year-old campaign on May 5, 2023 with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes at Churchill Downs. In her second start of the 2023 season she later finished third in the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9.

MuKulick earned the first win of her 4-year-old season when she took the $250,000 Grade 2 Glens Falls Stakes on Aug. 3 at Saratoga. Facing off against 1-2 odds favorite War Like Goddess, McKulick closed from the rear portion of the seven-horse field and came home with an impressive late surge to overtake War Like Goddess in the late stages. She prevailed by a neck in a 1 1/2-mile winning time of 2:27.05 over firm turf. 

McKulick came up short as the 2-5 favorite next in a paceless edition of the $465,000 Flower Bowl Stakes, finishing second to front-running winner Parnac. She turned the tables on that familiar rival next in winning the Grade 3 Waya Stakes by two lengths in a steady rain on yielding turf Oct. 7 at the Belmont at the Big A meeting.

In her final start of 2023, McKulick finished a disappointing last of 12 in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita Park, although she was a 22.80-1 longshot in the race. She came back for a 5-year-old campaign on March 30, 2024, and returned to her usual good form by winning the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream Park with regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle.

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.