Joseph has leading candidates in both turf stakes

Two turf stakes for 3-year-olds headline the 10-race card at Gulfstream Park West on Saturday. However, as has been the norm at the rain-soaked meet, and with rain forecast, there is a good chance the races will be moved to the main track.

With that in mind, Gibberish looks like the one to beat in the $60,000 Cellars Shiraz for 3-year-old fillies in the seventh race. The one-mile race drew 10 horses for turf. Headed by Gibberish, four are entered as main-track only.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Gibberish has won three of her last four races with the only defeat coming in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks on July 8. Following the Oaks, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Lea was an easy five-length winner of a first-level allowance race with a $25,000 claiming option Sept. 8 at Gulfstream Park and then was all-out to win a second-level allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option on Oct. 11 at Gulfstream Park West. Both races were at the one-mile distance of the Cellars Shiraz. The only time Gibberish ran over a wet track she romped in the slop while winning a maiden special weight race by seven lengths prior to the Indiana Oaks.

She is versatile and figures to get a nice trip from a forward position with Edgard Zayas riding.

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Secret Time is a possibility in a competitive race, if the race stays on turf.

The German-bred daughter of Camacho finished fifth, but only lost by three lengths, in the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham on June 19 at Chantilly prior to having a rough trip in the $100,000 Hilltop on Oct. 3 at Pimlico.

She has a right to move forward in her second start in North America for trainer Arnaud Delacour, and she could improve with the blinkers coming off.

Samy Camacho rides.

It is hard to say who will show up in the $60,000 Showing Up for 3-year-olds in race 9, but the Joseph-trained Island Commish figures to make his presence known, rain or shine, with Zayas riding.

The Kentucky-bred colt by Commissioner won the Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy going 7 1/2 furlongs on turf at Gulfstream in January, and he just missed in the Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson Stakes going 6 1/2 furlongs over the tricky Kentucky Downs course in his last start Sept. 16.

He is perfect in two starts on the Gulfstream Park West turf course. The only time he ran on a sloppy track, Island Commish won his debut in a $35,000 maiden claimer by 9 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream last year.

Joseph was undecided if Island Commish would run if the race is moved to the main track.

“We just haven’t made up our minds,” he said. “He’s doing really well and he loves the turf course here. A mile is about as far as he probably wants to go, though. We’ll see how things are on Saturday morning before making a final decision.”