Juddmonte's Kikkuli has much to live up to as a half brother to Frankel , an undefeated racehorse by Galileo who now ranks as one of the world's great sires.
"That's a bit of baggage," trainer Harry Charlton said with a shrug Oct. 3 as he readied Kikkuli, a Kingman 3-year-old colt, for the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland Oct. 5.
Kikkuli enters the Turf Mile off a close fourth-place finish in the Aug. 17 Hungerford Stakes (G2) at Newbury in England. He has won one of six races, with his best efforts coming over good to firm ground. Dry weather is forecast leading up to Saturday after heavy rain in Central Kentucky late last week.
"This is a good opportunity for him to get a grade 1," Charlton said. "Given his pedigree, it is important to get one. There was only one race left at the end of October at Ascot (in England) and by that time, the ground should be very soft."
Charlton, who took over training duties for his father, Roger, last year, is making his first trip to Keeneland. He took Thursday morning to get the lay of the land after Kikkuli went through his paces on Keeneland's synthetic training track.
Kikkuli is the final foal from the Roger Charlton-trained Kind, who died six days after producing Kikkuli at age 20. In addition to Frankel, Kikkuli is a half brother to three-time group 1 winner Noble Mission, and other other accomplished runners.
