Tropical Turf Handicap 2014 at Gulfstream Park West

Las Vegas, NV - Gulfstream Park West in Miami, Florida will play host to the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Handicap on Saturday, November 22. Horses three years old and upward will take to Gulfstream Park West's turf track and go 1 1/8 miles searching for the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.

A field of nine older entries plus four Main Track Only entries have been confirmed for the Tropical Turf - race 7 on Gulfstream Park West's Saturday card. Post time is 3:29 PM. Here is a brief glance into the pas performances of all 13 possible entries for this Grade 3 stakes.

2014 Tropical Turf Handicap Race Favorite Entries

Lochte - Marcus Vitali trained gelding made his graded stakes debut one to remember - a win in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf and followed that with a good second in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March and a third in the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile in April. He has been up and down since - a disastrous thirteenth in the Grade 2 Monmouth in Stakes in June and an eighth in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes in July were the lowest point. He has been OK in his last two starts - a second in an Allowance last time out followed a nice win in the minor The Vid Stakes at Gulfstream September 13. He looks to gain back a little bit of his graded stakes mojo with Orlando Bocachica in the reins from post 7. He is the most accomplished of the entries and is the one to catch Saturday.

Dreams Cut Short - Michael Maker trained gelding has 31 career starts with six wins, six seconds and two third place finishes. He has two wins, a second and a third place finish in nine starts this year. He has just one graded stakes start - a fifth four back in the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes Stakes at Arlington in July but has looked much better in three races since. Last time out was an Allowance score over Lochte on this track October 12 after a second behind Lochte in the minor The Vid Stakes at Gulfstream Park in September and a third in the minor Edward J. Debartolo Memorial also at Gulfstream in August. Dreams Cup Short has been trending upward ahead of this race, will be looking for his first stakes score and will have Edgar Prado guiding him from post 4.

Tropical Turf Handicap 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Lubash - won the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes in May, 2013 but has raced just once in graded stakes company since - a fifth in the Grade 3 Poker Stakes in July, 2013. This year he has been very competitive - three wins and three second place finishes in six starts. Last time out was a second in the minor Mohawk Stakes at Belmont Park October 18 after a win in the minor Ashley T. Cole Stakes in September, a second in the minor West Point Stakes and an Allowance score in July. He steps back into graded stakes company in good form looking for his eighth stakes score overall with Brice Blanc aboard from post 2.

Reporting Star - Pat Parente pupil enters this weekend off a somewhat disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International October 19 after an OK third in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes September 14, a good second in the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes August 16 and a three race win streak - all Allowance races at Woodbine - the last coming July 27. He had placed in all six graded stakes starts in his career before last time out including two and three starts back, a third in last year's Grade 3 British Columbia Derby, seconds in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby and the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes last summer and a third in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes in March, 2013. Reporting Star has four wins, four seconds and seven third place finishes in 18 career starts and will be looking a strong bounce back this week. He will leave from gate 3 Saturday looking for his first stakes score with Carlos Marquez in the irons.

Unbridled Command - won five straight races last year including the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes, the minor McMahon of Saratoga Mohawk Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths and the uber-competitive Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November, 2012 - by far his most impressive career result. He was forced to the sideline for 16 months after the Gulfstream Park Turf and has not been the same since - a disappointing eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita June 21, fifths in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes in July and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August were followed by an ugly ninth in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship last time out in September. Edgar Zayas has been tabbed to get Unbridled Command back on track from gate 8.

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Karibu Gardens - made his stakes debut one to remember - a win over Reporting Star in the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes August 16 for trainer Josie Carroll after seven career starts yielded three wins and a third place finish - one of those wins coming three back - an Allowance Optional Claiming July 20. Last time out he fell back to earth with an eighth in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine September 14. He opened a few eyes with his Sky Classic score and will be looking to prove it wasn't a fluke when he leaves from post 9 with Leonardo Goncalves guiding him.

Rapscallion - H Graham Motion trained colt makes his stakes debut after 12 career starts yielded three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. He is coming off an Allowance score at Keeneland October 16 after a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming in July and a second in a similar race in June. He had another Allowance score April 4 as well. He has two wins and a second place finish in six starts this year but makes an enormous step up in competition Saturday. Gabriel Saez gets the call from the rail.

Edge of Reality - Graham Motion trained colt was at his best a year ago when he won the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in September but has been up and down since. He has placed in just two of nine starts since but those results were minor stakes scores - the Alphabet Soup Handicap two back at Parx and the Leemat Stakes in July at Presque Isle Downs. Edge of Reality will turn to jockey Joe Bravo from gate 5 Saturday as he looks to get back to his 2013 form in this one.

Grand Tito - finished fifth in this race last year but has been up and down since. He won the Grade 3 Miami Mile here in April but that followed a fifth in the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes at Gulfstream. Since his impressive win Grand Tito has six starts with a win (an Allowance in August), a second (the minor Skip Trial Stakes at Gulfstream in July) and a third two back in The Vid Stakes at Gulfstream Park in September. Last time out was a fifth in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita October 4. Grand Tito has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 11 starts this year but enters in inconsistent form. Santiago Gonzalez rides from post 6.

Midnight Cello - Main Track Only Marcus Vatali pupil has a win and two seconds in his last three starts - a second last time out in the minor Eight Miles West Stakes on this track in October followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream Park in September. He has three graded stakes starts in his career - a pair of sixths and a second in the Grade 3 Miami Mile on this track sandwiched in there earlier this year. He has 21 career starts with five wins, six seconds and four third place finishes.

Valid - Main Track Only entry impressive Marcus Vitali trained gelding is coming off a terrific win on this track - the minor Eight Miles West Stakes October 11 which followed another win in an Allowance in September, a third in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes in August and a win ahead of Pants On Fire in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup July 27. He has 20 career starts with seven wins, three seconds and four third place finishes and may enter in the best form of his career.

Csaba - Main Track Only entry finished third on this track in the Grade 3 Miami Mile in April and went on to two straight wins on Florida tracks - the minor Memorial Stakes on this track in May and in the minor Skip Trial Stakes at Gulfstream Park in July. He is coming off a sixth in the minor Eight Miles West Stakes on this track after a third and a fifth place finish.

I'm Steppin' It Up - Main Track Only entry has placed in just one of his last four starts - a third in the minor DTHA Governors Day Stakes at Delaware Park in September. Last time out was a fourth in the minor Millions Classic Preview Stakes after a fifth in an Allowance October 22 - both results on this track.

2014 Tropical Turf Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 7 on Gulfstream Park West's Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:29 PM.