Clement enters War Correspondent, Lubash in Tropical Turf

Grade 3 winner War Correspondent, unraced since mid-February with lingering foot issues, begins his long-awaited comeback in Saturday’s $100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream Park West.

The 36th running of the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Turf for 3-year-olds and up is one of three stakes, two graded, worth $275,000 on the 11-race program that highlights closing weekend of the Fall Turf Festival Meet.

Also on tap are the $100,000 My Charmer (G3) for females 3 and up at 1 1/16 miles and the $75,000 Gin Rummy Champ, a five-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up. First race post time is noon.

Trained by Christophe Clement for Calumet Farm, Sagamore Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, War Correspondent was last seen finishing eighth as the favorite in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3) Feb. 13. In his only other start this year he ran seventh, beaten three lengths, in the Fort Lauderdale (G2) Jan. 9 at Gulfstream Park.

“He had some issues going on all year long, mostly with his feet, but he’s doing well,” Clement said. “It is a little bit ambitious to bring him back in a Grade 3 but he is a nice horse if you go back in his past performances, and I’m very happy with the way he looks.”

War Correspondent, a 6-year-old son of War Front, only ran twice in 2015, finishing third by a length in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) and winning the one-mile Appleton (G3) by a neck that March.

He shows five works since late September for his return, two at Saratoga, two at Belmont Park and his most recent move, a half-mile breeze in 50 seconds Nov. 18 at the Payson Park Training Center.

“I think we’ve got him fit enough to run a nice race. You always have a small question mark when they come back from a long layoff, but we’ve been aggressive in his works,” Clement said. “His last five works have been nice, so I expect a nice race.”

Luca Panici will ride War Correspondent from Post 1 of nine at 117 pounds.

Clement also has entered Aliyu Ben J Stables’ Lubash in the Tropical Turf, a 9-year-old son of Freud that owns one of the trainer’s four career victories in the race, in 2014. Clement also won with Speaking of Which in 2013, Philly Ace in 2012 and Hibernian Rhapsody in 1999.

New York-bred Lubash owns 17 wins and $1.42 million in purse earnings from 50 lifetime starts. Eleven of his victories have come in stakes including the 2013 Fort Marcy (G3), and he is coming off a half-length optional claiming allowance win Sept. 17 at Belmont Park.

“Lubash, we know the horse inside out. He is a nice horse,” Clement said. “We don’t know if it’s his last race or not, but he’s training well. His last race was a good race in New York and he loves firm turf. I think this is the right place to run on firm turf at the moment.”

Joe Bravo has the call on Lubash from Post 3 at 118 pounds.

Panic Stable’s multiple stakes winner Rose Brier goes after his first graded stakes win in the Tropical Turf. The 7-year-old gelding has four wins from six starts this year, three of them in stakes, most recently the 1 1/16-mile Bert Allen against fellow Virginia-breds Sept. 24 at Laurel Park.

“We’re going to try him in there and see how it comes out. He’s here to run so it seems like a logical spot,” trainer Jane Cibelli said.

“He’s doing very, very well. He always seems to do well down here. Being able to breeze him on the turf helps him, too. He’s doing great.”

Regular rider Trevor McCarthy comes in from Maryland for the mount from Post 6 at 117 pounds.

Rounding out the field are Grade 3 winner Coalport; Manchurian High, back-to-back winner of the Sunshine Millions Turf making his first start since a steeplechase event May 28; stakes winners Copingaway and Granny’s Kitten; and Andreya’s Reward.

Summation Time Cuts Back in Distance for $75,000 Gin Rummy Champ

Waterford Stable’s Summation Time, second in the 2015 Nearctic (G2) last fall, cuts back to five furlongs for the $75,000 Gin Rummy Champ seeking his first win in nearly 19 months.

Also trained by Clement, the 5-year-old son of In Summation is winless in six starts this year and coming off a runner-up finish by 1 ½ lengths in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance Oct.14 at Belmont Park.

Summation Time has not won since stringing together three straight victories from October 2014 to an optional claiming allowance triumph April 1, 2015 at Gulfstream. He has one win and one second from three career tries at five furlongs.

“Summation Time is a nice horse,” Clement said. “My biggest question mark is the distance, is five furlongs too short for him or not. But, the horse is doing very well.”

Joe Bravo rides from Post 1 of eight at 117 pounds.

Carrying topweight of 121 pounds in the Gin Rummy Champ is New Farm’s Rainbow Heir, a New Jersey-bred winner of the 2013 Jersey Shore Stakes (G3) trained by Jason Servis. The 6-year-old son of Wildcat Heir was third in his two most recent starts, beaten a neck in the Troy Stakes Aug. 20 at Saratoga and 1 ¼ lengths in the Hall of Fame Stakes Sept. 17 at Parx.

Also entered are stakes-placed Beantown Saint; Dreaming of Gold, fifth in the Sunshine Millions Turf Preview Nov. 12 at Gulfstream Park West; Francisco D’Angelo-trained stablemate El Deal, Gold Medal Stakes winner making his turf debut; More Applause, Posse Dreamin and Zeus Odin.

Source: Gulfstream Park West