Lochte among Tropical Turf nominees

MIAMI – Nominations have been released for the only two graded stakes of the inaugural Gulfstream Park West meeting, the Grade 3 Tropical Turf and its filly counterpart, the My Charmer Handicap, both to be decided on grass here next Saturday.

The Tropical Turf lured 38 nominations, including five from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher and four for Graham Motion. Pletcher’s handful of potential starters is topped by Mshawish, who finished third in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker in his most recent start; Red Rifle, second after setting the pace to deep stretch in the Grade 3 Sycamore; and Grade 2 winner Unitarian. The best of the Motion foursome may be the multiple stakes winner Edge of Reality.

Lochte may have an opportunity to avenge his latest setback at the hands of Dreams Cut Short under allowance conditions here earlier in the meet, as both were also among the nominees to the 1 1/8-mile Tropical Turf. Lochte upset the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap earlier this year.

The My Charmer proved nearly as popular, with 31 fillies and mares nominated to the nine-furlong fixture, including four apiece from the barns of Motion, Chad Brown, and Christophe Clement. Brown, whose first wave of New York shippers is already bedded down at the Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach, Fla., has a quartet led by Danza Cavallo, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap, and the European invader Summer Moon.

Two of the Clement foursome, Parranda and Irish Mission, competed in the recent Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Parranda, who began her career in south Florida, finished sixth after forcing the pace in that race. She was second behind Emollient in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive six weeks earlier at Santa Anita.

** Seven-pound apprentice Tyler Gaffalione has suddenly become the favorite of longshot players after booting home a pair of 30-1 winners this week: first-time starter Royal Czar for trainer Edward Coletti on Thursday and The Sundrop Kid for Kathleen O’Connell the following afternoon. The two unlikely victories moved Gaffalione into a tie for 10th in the jockeys’ standings with 10 victories.

** Beeline Express and jockey Jose Caraballo also lit up the tote board Friday at odds of 30-1, with the horse taking the day’s second race for his first victory in 13 career starts. Beeline Express was the second tally of the session for trainer Walter Rosas-Canessa.

** The 10-cent Perfect 10 wager will have a mandatory payout Monday. A guaranteed payoff of $25,000 is offered to anyone who picks all 10 winners on the card. If nobody picks 10 winners, the entire pool will be split among those who picked the most winners on the program. The Perfect 10, which has been offered on Mondays only during the current session, features a 10 percent takeout.