Going to Kukaro battled her way to a nose victory in the $85,000 Genuine Devotion S. May 12 at Belmont Park to become the newest stakes winner for Speightstown. The 14-year-old WinStar stallion is enjoying another banner year this season, with over $2.7 million in progeny earnings to date, putting him in seventh on the General Sire list.
Four-year-old Going to Kukaro was put to a stiff test in the six furlong sprint on the inner Belmont turf. She broke a step slow, but Javier Castellano hustled her to the lead as she zipped a half-mile in :45.40. The dark bay filly opened up by two in the stretch, only to see a fast-closing Trix in the City cutting into the margin. The winner had just enough left to prevail, however, and finished the distance in a very good 1:09.02 on the firm turf.
Bred in Florida by WinStar in partnership with Sienna Farms, Going to Kukaro is now 4-2-1 in seven starts. She is owned by a group headed by Michael Dubb and Ron McCauley, the latter who purchased her at the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Going to Kukaro is out of Jeanne’s Honor, who has also produced the stakes-placed 3-year-old Ten K Cat. Jeanne’s Honor is a daughter of Jeanne Jones, one of the top distaffers of the late 1980s who won the Grade 1 Fantasy S. and won or placed in eight other black-type events.
