Puerto Rico's delegation for the 2026 Caribbean Horse Racing Series appears strong in the native and imported female divisions, but the competition is more open among native three-year-olds. With six months to go before the event, which will be held at the Hipódromo Camarero, the main candidates have already competed in the five divisions that will be part of the international event.
According to veteran jockey Javier Santiago, there is no clear favorite for the Clásico Internacional del Caribe among the native three-year-olds. Don Octavio, trained by Gilberto 'Tito' Escobar, won the third leg of the Triple Corona and is considered a potential contender.
Other notable horses include Xánder Z, who has three wins and two second-place finishes in five starts, and Carismático, who is expected to represent Puerto Rico in the Clásico Confraternidad del Caribe. Carismático's trainer, Jason Lisboa, plans to have the horse return to competition on July 17 to prepare for the series.