2017 Tropical Turf Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G3 Tropical Turf Stakes comes our way this Saturday, December 16 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Horses three years old and upward will take to Gulfstream's turf track and race one mile for the winner's portion of the $100,000 purse.

A seasoned field of nine will line up in the Tropical Turf Handicap - race 10 on Gulfstream's stacked Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:37 PM. Here is a brief glance into the past performances of all nine entries for this intriguing G3 stakes.

2017 Tropical Turf Stakes Contenders at Gulfstream Park

Blacktype 2-1

French bred Christophe Clement trained gelding has nine wins, three seconds and eight third place finishes in 29 career starts. He enters off a fourth in the minor Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct November 18 which followed a great win in the G2 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park October 9 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park September 9.

Before that was a sixth in the minor Lure Stakes at Saratoga August 5 and consecutive thirds including the G2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico in May. He also had a fifth in the G1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland April 14, a second in the minor Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct last November 19, a third in the 2016 G3 Knickerbocker Stakes and a three three-race win streak - the 2016 Commonwealth Turf Cup at Laurel Park, the G3 Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park 31 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park July 3, 2016. He has shown some serious form in the past and will be after a second graded stakes score in three starts from post 7. Joel Rosario will be in the irons of the 123 co-highweight and morning line favorite.

All Included 7-2

Todd Pletcher trainee has been OK in his 18-race career - five wins, two seconds and three third place finishes. He was last seen May 27 when he posted a very disappointing eighth in the G3 Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park May 27. Before that was a win in the G2 Appleton Stakes April 1 and consecutive runner-up finishes - the G1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap February 11 and an Allowance Optional Claiming January 15.

All Included also had an eighth in the G3 Appleton Stakes back last April, a sixth in the G2 Mac Diarmida Stakes in March, a decent third in the 2016 G1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap and another third in the G2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes January 9, 2016 - all at Gulfstream Park. All Included had been trending up before last time out and hopes to get back on the winning track in his first race in over seven months from gate 4. Javier Castellano gets the call on the second betting choice.

Camelot Kitten 9-2

Chad Brown trained colt has five wins and three runner-up finishes in 14 career starts. He finished a strong second in the 2015 G3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes as a juvenile at Keeneland and went on to a disappointing twelfth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf that year. He has 11 starts since and has been OK. Last time out was a fifth in the G2 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park October 9 which followed a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming on that track September 9 (both behind Blacktype) and a seventh in the minor Lure Stakes at Saratoga August 5. Before that was nine months away, a seventh in the G1 Hollywood Derby December 3, a nice win in the G3 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park October 8, a respectable second in the G3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga September 3 and a good win in the G2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga August 5.

Other good results include a win in the G3 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park June 4, 2016 and a career defining upset win over Beach Patrol in the 2016 G2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs. Camelot Kitten was very good at this time last year but has failed to place in his last four starts overall. He tries to snap a skid with Irad Ortiz guiding him from gate 2.

Tower of Texas 6-1

Roger Attfield trained gelding has six wins, eighth seconds and four third place finishes in 26 career starts - 23 at Woodbine. He enters off a good win in the minor Labeeb Stakes at Woodbine November 4 which followed a fourth in the G2 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup at Laurel Park September 30 and an eighth in the G1 Woodbine Mile September 16.

Before that was a fourth in the G2 Play the King Stakes at Woodbine August 19, an OK third, a half-length back in the G2 King Edward Stakes there July 2 and a career-best effort - a win in the G2 Connaught Cup at Woodbine June 3. He also had an ugly tenth in the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in October, 2016 and three straight runner-up finishes - just a half-length behind Tepin in the 2016 Woodbine Mile and the 2016 King Edward Stakes included. Tower of Texas has placed in 12 of his last 17 starts but has hit the board in just one of his last four. He shoots for a second stakes score and for a first graded stakes win in six starts from the rail Saturday. Luis Saez rides the other 123-pound co-highweight.

Shakhimat 8-1

Shakhimat won the 2016 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland in April and has been just OK since. Last time out was a third in the minor Labeeb Stakes at Woodbine November 4 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track September 23 and a sixth and a second respectively in a pair of similar races this past summer.

His three other graded stakes results resulted in an eighth in the G2 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine July 2, a ninth in the G2 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland in April and a ninth in the G2 American Turf Stakes in May, 2016. Shakhimat has been mostly underwhelming in stakes races but OK against lesser company. He hopes it finally translates when he leaves from the outside post 9 with Edgard Zayas guiding him.

Galton 10-1

Has 37 career starts for trainer Michael Maker with 11 wins, nine seconds and six third-place finishes. He enters off and Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream Park West October 19, a second in the minor Me. Steele Stakes on that track September 30, a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Kentucky Downs September 6 and a second in the listed West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup at Mountaineer August 5. His only graded stakes result was a respectable third in the G3 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland in October, 2016. Galton has been OK in his career and hopes for a first stakes score Saturday from post 5. Tyler Gaffalione has been tabbed to ride.

Western Reserve 12-1

Western Reserve has five wins, five seconds and six third-place finishes in 21 career starts for trainer J Kent Sweezey. He enters off an OK third in the G2 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine November 12 which followed a fifth in the listed Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs September 6, a nice in in the listed Warrior Veterans Stakes at Indiana Grand July 15 and a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs in June.

He had two graded stakes starts to start his year - a seventh in the G1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland April 14 followed a second in the G3 Colonel ER Bradley Handicap at Fair Grounds in January. Western Reserve has placed in three of his last four starts - OK form and will chase a first stakes score from gate 6 Saturday with Paco Lopez guiding him.

Le Ken 15-1

Argentinian bred Ignacio Correas trained colt has placed in eight of 11 career starts - five wins and three second-place finishes. He made his North American debut three starts back and finished fifth in the G2 Del Mar Mile August 20 and followed that with an eighth in the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland October 7 and a fifth last time out in the minor Bet on Sunshine Stakes at Churchill Downs November 18.

At home he was his country's top two-year old and dual Argentine Champion. Results there include a good win in the Group 1 Joaquin S. de Anchorena December 17, a second in the Group 2 Gran Premio Hipodromo De Palermo in November, another second in the Group 1 Pola de Potrillos in September and a nice win in the Group 2 Miguel Cane last August. Le Ken was mighty impressive at home but has failed to fire in North America so far. He tries to finally make some noise here when he leaves from post 3 Saturday with John Velazquez aboard.

One Go All Go 20-1

Won the 2015 G2 Commonwealth Derby at Laurel Park - his best career result and has been up and down since. Last time out was a sixth in an Allowance at Keeneland October 26 after an eighth in the G3 Kentucky Turf Cup September 9 and a third in the minor Cliff Guilliams Handicap at Ellis Park August 13.

Before that was a fourth in the G3 Stars and Stripes Stales at Arlington July 8, over eight months away, an ugly thirteenth in the G3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs last November, a fifth in the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland in October, 2016 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track at this time last year. One Go All Go now has three wins, a second and three third-place finishes in 17 career starts and shoots for a first win in 15 months from gate 8. Chris Landeros has the mount.

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