The traditional complement of all-time great trainers, several future Hall of Famers and many new names that figure to fight their way onto the leader board will be on hand at Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows this winter.

As the days dwindle toward Jan. 3, opening day of Gulfstream Park’s 2008 thoroughbred meeting, living legends such as Jimmy Croll, Allen Jerkens, Wayne Lukas, Shug McGaughey, Bill Mott, Jonathan Sheppard and Nick Zito are making preparations to join classic-winning trainers Michael Matz, Kiaran McLaughlin, Carl Nafzger, Todd Pletcher and Barclay Tagg for the upcoming 89-day meet.

The Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach, 49 miles north of Gulfstream Park, opened for stabling today. Since its inception in 2003, Palm Meadows has been the winter training grounds for eventual Kentucky Derby winners Funny Cide, Barbaro and Street Sense as well as the last three Horses of the Year: Ghostzapper, Saint Liam and Invasor.

The likely 2007 Horse of the Year, Curlin, was stabled last winter at Gulfstream Park, where he showed signs of the greatness to come when he won his first career start Feb. 3 by 12¾ lengths. Shortly after that race he was sold and transferred to the care of Steve Asmussen, who was assigned 26 stalls at Gulfstream Park.

Asmussen is returning to Gulfstream after a one-year absence. Allen Iwinski is also returning after some time off to recover from a recent illness.

Brightening the backstretch at Gulfstream and Palm Meadows will be as many as 14 women trainers, including Helen Pitts, who trained Curlin to that lengthy maiden score.