Ecuador-Based El Kurdo Back in Invitational Cup

Stud David Y Daniel's El Kurdo, second in the Invitational Cup Stakes during last year's Clasico Internacional del Caribe program, will have a chance to improve that finish Dec. 8 at Gulfstream Park.

A 7-year-old Kentucky-bred son of 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, El Kurdo enters the 1 1/4-mile Invitational with a perfect 4-for-4 record this year in Ecuador, where he is based. The most recent win came by 22 lengths Oct. 8, marking his 21st victory from 42 starts.

Four of the five Clasico Internacional del Caribe races are for horses bred in the participating Caribbean or Latin America jurisdictions, but the Invitational is for horses imported to those jurisdictions.

"This year was really cool because his first race was just 5 1/2 furlongs, and he was able to win. To have that ability where you can win from 5 1/2 to a mile and a quarter is really, really quite unique," said current trainer Chad Summers. 

This is the second straight year Summers, based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Florida's Palm Beach County, has handled El Kurdo's North American preparation for the Clasico del Caribe. Last year, El Kurdo stayed in South Florida to run in the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on Gulfstream's turf three weeks after the Invitational before heading back to Ecuador.

"My main clients are from Ecuador. They were kind of one of the first ones to give me an opportunity, so it means a lot to me to have that opportunity to kind of pay it back to them," Summers said. "To represent Ecuador in the Clasico del Caribe is something that means a lot to us."

Summers is best known for his work as trainer and co-owner of multiple grade 1-winning New York-bred Mind Your Biscuits, who was retired Nov. 14 with eight wins and nearly $4.3 million in purse earnings from 25 starts, the last coming in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 3. Ecuador's J Stables was also a co-owner.

"The purse might not be a huge deal, but this is a big, big deal to all the countries here that are involved, and to have it here at Gulfstream Park and everything else is great. Here at the barn, there's just a sea of people. The buzz for this is no different from being in the Breeders' Cup a month ago," Summers said. "It really is cool to see how excited everyone is from these countries. It's a big festival day, and it would mean a lot to the country of Ecuador to bring El Kurdo home a winner.

"I've been fortunate to go to the Breeders' Cup, to go to Dubai, to be a part of the Triple Crown races and stuff like that, and from an energy and excitement level, I would put this right up there with all of them," he added. "The will to win and desire to win from all the connections is very, very strong, and it's something where there's a lot on the line more than money."

El Kurdo drew the far outside post in a field of seven that includes defending champion Coltimus Prime.

Entries: Invitational Cup S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 08, 2018, Race 7

• STK
• 1 1/4m
• Dirt
• $77,500
• 3 yo's & up
• 2:46 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Going Strong (KY)	Nicky Figueroa	122	Alison Escobar	10/1
2	2Mishegas (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Jose D. Velez	4/1
3	3Coltimus Prime (ON)	John R. Velazquez	122	Marcial Navarro	3/1
4	4Wildcat Wish (FL)	Manuel Franco	122	Fausto Gutierrez	12/1
5	5Trincheto (ARG)	Jose Lezcano	122	Guillermo Martucci	10/1
6	6California Music (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Alberto Paz-Rodriguez	9/5
7	7El Kurdo (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Chad Summers	9/2