Claiming Crown, Clasico Internacional del Caribe top weekend at Gulfstream

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – There are no graded stakes races on the schedule this weekend at Gulfstream Park, but there will be action aplenty nonetheless, with the Claiming Crown back for an eighth straight season Saturday followed by the third local renewal of the Clasico Internacional del Caribe, featuring the best horses from Latin America and the Caribbean on Sunday.

Saturday’s nine Claiming Crown races will again be highlighted by the $200,000 Jewel, which could turn out to be a real family affair. Among the 26 nominees, and expected to start, in the 1 1/8-mile Jewel are Forest Fire, Degrom, and Leitone, who are trained respectively by John Servis, his son Tyler, and brother Jason.

Forest Fire will bring a three-race win streak into the Jewel that includes a game victory in the Maryland Million Classic at Laurel on Oct. 19. Degrom has registered a win, a second, and a third since he was claimed by Tyler Servis for $20,000 on July 15 at Parx Racing, while Leitone has won a pair of $50,000 claiming races in New York since being claimed for just $12,500 at Belmont by Jason Servis for current owners M and A Racing LTD.

Others likely to compete in the Jewel include trainer Jorge Navarro’s pair of Ekhtibaar and Holiday Bonus along with the speedy Create Again.

The $300,000 Clasico del Caribe for 3-year-olds tops Sunday’s program. However, it is last year’s Caribbean Classic winner, Kukulkan, who will be the most familiar name among the horses competing in the five Clasico races when he goes postward the heavy favorite in the 1 1/4-mile Copa Confraternidad. Kukulkan remained in the United States to run here earlier this season in the Pegasus World Cup Classic and later finished second in the Grade 3 West Virginia Governor’s Cup at Mountaineer.