Puerto Rico has lost one of its top contenders for the Clásico del Caribe horse racing event, as Xander Z, a talented native colt, has been ruled out due to a recent knee surgery. Xander Z, winner of four out of six presentations, including a second place in the Puerto Rico Futurity, was initially set to compete in the Antonio Fernández Castrillón classic on Sunday, the first of two qualifying races for the Clásico del Caribe.
Instead, two other top contenders, Don Octavio and Bateador, will compete alongside seven other native colts vying to represent Puerto Rico in the Caribbean event. The Serie Hípica del Caribe will take place on December 5 and 6 at the Hipódromo Camarero, with qualifying races scheduled for October 17 and 18, and October 27. According to Ariel González, secretary of races at Camarero, the top two colts with the most points from the qualifying races will qualify for the Clásico del Caribe, but up to four colts could qualify since the event is being held in Puerto Rico.