The Clásico Internacional del Caribe or Caribbean Derby is the thoroughbred most important black-type stakes race in the Caribbean for three-year-old

thoroughbred horses The Thoroughbred is a horse breed developed for horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered " ...

, held on the month of December. The race features the best 3-year-old colts and fillies from the countries which are members of the Confederacion Hipica del Caribe. Along with the celebration of the Clásico Internacional del Caribe, four other international races are programmed during the weekend festivities. These races are the Copa Velocidad (Caribbean Sprint Cup) (6f), Copa Dama del Caribe (Caribbean Ladies' Classic) (8.5f), Copa Invitacional del Caribe (8f), and the Confraternity Cup (10f) for 3 & up horses. The 2017 edition of the Clásico Internacional del Caribe was held at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...

in Hallandale, Florida. Gulfstream was the first pari-mutuel track outside of Latin American and the Caribbean to host the event. Bringing for the first time World class substance abuse rules to the most important Race of the Caribbean and a LEVELED field of competition for ALL the countries which are members of the Confederacion Hipica del CAribe.

History

The Clásico Internacional del Caribe occurred after thirteen years of arduous work. Engineer Ramón Llobet Jr and Lic. Abelardo Ruiz Suria, among other distinguished Puerto Rican horsemen, created the event in 1966. This derby was designed in order to strengthen ties of friendship and brotherhood between the countries of the Caribbean. To be eligible to run in the Clásico a thoroughbred must be bred in one of the confederation member nations. Panamá is the country with most winning in this black-type stakes with 15 followed by Venezuela with 14, Mexico with 11 and Puerto Rico with 8. Colombia and Dominican Republic has won the stakes only once. The Venezuelan

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

Emisael Jaramillo has more victories in this stake with 5 followed by Panamanian

Cornelio Velásquez Cornelio H. Velásquez (born September 28, 1968) is a Panamanian jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He was introduced to horse racing at age fifteen by trainer Carlos Salazar Guardia in his native Panama and enrolled in the national jo ...

with 3. Four jockeys have won both the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

and the Clasico Internacional del Caribe: * Gustavo Ávila (

Canonero II Cañonero II (April 24, 1968 – November 11, 1981) was a Venezuelan champion Thoroughbred horse racing, race horse that may be best remembered for winning the first two legs of the 1971 Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing#United States Triple Cr ...

and Victoreado (VEN)) *

Jacinto Vásquez Jacinto Vásquez (born January 4, 1944) is a retired Panamanian thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He rode two Kentucky Derby winners, Foolish Pleasure in 1975 and the filly Genuine Risk in 1980. He was also the regular jockey for the champion fill ...

(

Genuine Risk Genuine Risk (February 15, 1977 – August 18, 2008) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the 1980 Kentucky Derby. Background Genuine Risk was a chestnut mare bred in Kentucky by Sally Humphrey. She w ...

, and Barremina (PAN)) * Laffit Pincay Jr. ( Swale and Pikotazo (MEX)) *

Joel Rosario Joel Rosario (born January 14, 1985) is a Dominican jockey who mainly competes in American thoroughbred horse racing, originally from the Dominican Republic. In the space of five weeks in 2013 he rode the winners of the Dubai World Cup and the Ke ...

( Orb and Sicotico (DOM)) Gustavo Ávila is the only jockey to win the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

and the Caribbean Derby (

and Victoreado (VEN)). Five jockeys have won the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

and the Caribbean Derby: * Ruben Hernandez (

Coastal A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

and Ezgarta (MEX)) * Laffit Pincay Jr. (

Conquistador Cielo Conquistador Cielo (March 20, 1979 – December 17, 2002) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He is best known for his performances as a three-year-old in 1982 when he won the Belmont Stakes and was voted United States Horse of the Year. B ...

, Swale, Caveat and Pikotazo (MEX)) *

Fernando Jara Fernando Jara (born December 18, 1987, in Panama) is a Panamanian thoroughbred horse racing jockey who currently competes in the United States. Aboard Jazil he won the 2006 Belmont Stakes. In addition, he was the primary North American rider of 20 ...

(

Jazil Jazil (February 11, 2003 – October 11, 2014) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. In 2006, Jazil dead-heated for fourth place in the Kentucky Derby but then won the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown of Tho ...

and Ay Papá (PAN)) *

(

Tonalist Tonalist (born in February 11, 2011) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2014 Belmont Stakes, beating the favored California Chrome, who was attempting to win the Triple Crown. Tonalist won the Peter Pan Stakes in ...

and Sicotico (DOM)) * Irad Ortiz Jr. (

Creator Creator or The Creator may refer to: Film and television * ''Creator'' (film), a 1985 film starring Peter O'Toole, Vincent Spano, Mariel Hemingway, and Virginia Madsen * ''The Creator'' (1999 film), a French film written and directed by and sta ...

and Jala Jala (MEX)) Venezuela is the only country to win on four consecutive occasions (with Bambera in 2009, Water Jet in 2010, Heisenberg in 2011 and El de Chine in 2012). On eleven occasions a country has managed to finish in the top two positions: Mexico with Guadamur and Gumiel (1969), Voy por Uno and Barrullero (1976) and Ezgarta and Gran Zar (1978); Venezuela with Rayo Laser and Gallardete (1987), Alighieri and Jib Dancer (1997), Water Jet and Gran Charlie (2010); Panama with Cortisol and Gotti (1999), and El Tigre Mono and Chantik (2016); and Puerto Rico with Vuelve Candy B. and Satin Charger (1991), Borrascoso and Shahid (2005), Soy Conquistador and Primero Nieto (2007). In 2009, for the first time officially two fillies occupied the top two positions:

Bambera ''Bambera'' () is a '' cante'', one of many traditional song forms associated with flamenco. Definition The bambera or bamba derives from the ''cante de columpio'', meaning "song of the swing", which is one of the traditional Andalusian song forms ...

(VEN) and Vivian Record (MEX). In 1996 two fillies, Angelical (PAN) and La Supernova (PR), occupied the top two positions but the latter was disqualified to the 3rd position. On one occasion a brother-sister team sired by the same horse were the first and second-place finishers: El Tigre Mono and Chantik finished 1–2 in 2016. Both were sired by Concerto. The longest gap between winners of one country is of 14 years (Puerto Rico – Wiso G, 1968 to Guaybanex, 1982 and Soy Conquistador, 2007 to Tamborero, 2021). Pikotazo (MEX) is the only winner of the Clásico del Caribe to run in the US Triple Crown Race (in the 1980 Belmont Stakes, finishing 10th). Verset Dancer (PR) was the first filly to win the Clásico del Caribe, also establishing a track (the then Hipodromo El Comandante) and stake record (1:50:1/5). Six more fillies beside Verset Dancer have won the Clásico del Caribe: Galilea (COL) in 1984; Angelical (PAN) in 1996; Alexia (PAN) in 2001; Bambera (VEN) in 2009; Ninfa del Cielo (VEN) in 2014; and Jala Jala (MEX) in 2017. Verset Jet (PR), winner in 1993 is a product out of Verset Dancer (PR), winner in 1983.

Rosemary Homeister Jr. Rosemary Homeister Jr. (born July 5, 1972) is a retired American jockey in Thoroughbred racing. Background Both of Homeister's parents were jockeys, and as a result she grew up riding horses. Her mother is now a horse trainer at the Calder Rac ...

is the first (and so far only) female jockey to win the Clasico del Caribe. Five Clasico del Caribe winners went to win the Copa Confraternidad (Confraternity Cup): Verset Jet (PR) in 1994; My Own Business (VEN) in 2002 and 2003; Soy Conquistador (PR) in 2009; El Tigre Mono (PAN) in 2017; and Kukulkan (MEX) in 2019.

Winners of the Clásico Internacional del Caribe

A † designates a Triple Crown Winner in their native country.
A ‡ designates a

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...

. * Notes:

Winners by country

Winners, in: Thoroughbred Heritage
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References

{{reflist

External links

seriehipicadelcaribe.com
Racing series for horses Sports competitions in Puerto Rico Horse races Flat horse races for three-year-olds