Blacktype, Tower of Texas Head Tropical Turf Field

Gulfstream Park's Dec. 16 Tropical Turf Stakes (G3T) attracted a seasoned field of nine turf veterans topped by co-highweights Blacktype and Tower of Texas.

Both 6-year-old geldings will give two to five pounds to the rest of the field, with each to carry 123 pounds in the one mile contest.

The 36th running of the Tropical Turf for 3-year-olds and older, and the 33rd renewal of the $100,000 My Charmer Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares 3 and older are among five stakes worth $500,000 on the 11-race program.

In his first race at the Florida track, Jump Sucker Stables' Blacktype will look to extend a win streak for trainer Christophe Clement, who has won four of the last five editions of the race, including last year with Lubash. The only exception came in 2015, when the trainer did not enter a horse.

"It's great that he's able to run in Florida, especially since some of the owners will be able to be there to see him," Clement said. "It's amazing he's never run in Florida. He's always been running well; we've just kept him in New York and last year we pulled the plug on him. I don't think there's a reason why he wouldn't run well."

Blacktype, a French-bred son of Dunkerque, came into his own in 2016 when he won three races in a row, including the Oceanport Stakes (G3T) at Monmouth Park and the Commonwealth Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) at Laurel Park.

He comes into Saturday's race off a fourth-place finish in the Artie Schiller Stakes and had won back-to-back starts at Belmont Park prior to that, including the Oct. 9 Knickerbocker Stakes (G2T) at 1 1/8 miles.

"He's coming off two wins in New York very impressively. The last race he was a bit unlucky," said Clement's son and assistant, Miguel. "We had a few things going against us last time. He was conceding a lot of weight and he had a very wide trip.

"He has done so well since the Artie Schiller, where I think he ran a winning race," he added. "We hope he puts it all together this time. He's training well and he looks great, so we'll see. I'm excited to see him run."

Set to break from post 7, Joel Rosario has the call on Blacktype.

Thomas Van Meter II and Scott Dilworth's Tower of Texas, also slated to carry 123 pounds, is fresh off a score in the Labeeb Stakes Nov. 4, going about one mile over Woodbine's turf course. In that race, he defeated fellow Tropical Turf contender Shakhimat, who finished third.

Racing primarily at Woodbine, Tower of Texas took the seven-furlong Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T) in his season debut in June. Prior to that start, the son of Street Sense finished second in three of his last four starts of 2016, including a placing in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) behind champion grass mare Tepin.

Tower of Texas drew the rail and will have Luis Saez aboard.

Trainer Todd Pletcher entered Wertheimer and Frere's All Included, a 4-year-old son of Include , who won the Appleton Stakes  (G3T) going one mile at Gulfstream April 1. One start prior, he finished third in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1T), but was promoted to second via disqualification.

"It seems like he's freshened up nicely," Pletcher said. "He's always run well at Gulfstream, so we're looking forward to getting him back."

Other players in the Tropical Turf are Ken and Sarah Ramsey's multiple graded stakes winner Camelot Kitten, who finished behind Blacktype in each of his past two starts; and Le Ken, a two-time group 1 winner in Argentina.

In the My Charmer, On Leave will head a field of nine fillies and mares for owner Stuart Janney III and trainer Shug McGaughey. The War Front  filly was the fourth-place finisher in the last year's Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Lane's End (G1T) at Keeneland. Leading up to that race she had culminated a four-race win streak with a victory in the Sands Point Stakes (G2T) at Belmont.

This year, On Leave took the Perfect Sting Stakes at the My Charmer distance at Belmont in July, and the All Along Stakes at Laurel Park going 1 1/16 miles. She most recently finished third in the Goldikova Stakes (G2T) Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

Oklahoma-bred Gianna's Dream, the co-highweight with On Leave in the race carrying 121 pounds, looks to make it three wins in a row for trainer Mike Maker and owner Jordan Wycoff. The Twirling Candy  filly has won nine of 17 starts, including her last two stakes contests at Remington Park.