Alsafra - File

This year's Triple Crown winner ALSAFRA is among 13 horses down to face the starter in Sunday's US$300,000 Caribbean Classic over 1800 metres at the Hipodromo Camarero racetrack (formerly El Commandante) in Puerto Rico and expectations are high in certain quarters that she will run well.

Owned by Norman Gordon and Sherman Clachar, the outstanding three-year-old chestnut filly by Legal Process out of Tee Gee Vee has been drawn at position 13 on the outside of the field.

One of the top contenders for the race is the Venezuelan horse REY ANGELO, who, according to reports, has won 16 of his 19 races to date.

ALSAFRA, who is slated to carry 52.0kg, will be ridden for the first time by United States-based Jamaican jockey Andrew Ramgeet, replacing her customary pilot Brian Harding, who would have had to put up a kilo or two overweight for the ride.

According to Gordon, ALSAFRA has been working really well in preparation for the race, galloping seven furlongs in a brisk 1:26.0 last Monday morning and 1;15.0 (easily) for six furlongs days earlier.

The horse left the island on Monday, November 10 for Puerto Rico where she was placed in quarantine for seven days. Her trainer, Fitznahum Williams has since joined her in Puerto Rico and has stepped up her preparation in the past week.

Her owners are due to leave the island on Friday, December 5.

The official Jamaican delegation, comprising JRC's director of racing, Lloyd Cobran and CTL's racing secretary, Denzil Miller Jr, flew out from Thursday.