Gulfstream Park closes out its 2008 racing season with a unique all-turf program of 11 races Sunday for all levels of competition going long and short, highlighted by companion optional/allowance races at 1 1/16 miles with full fields of 12 in each, one for fillies and mares.

Barry Croft and L and D Farm’s 4-year-old filly Carambola looks like the horse to beat in the ninth race with jockey Eduardo Nunez aboard after a very good effort last out on Apr. 3 when third in an ‘a other than’ allowance over the course, beaten only three-quarters of a length for it all by the winner.

Carambola was home-bred in Kentucky by Croft. She is by Unbridled’s Song and is the first foal out of Sugar N Spice, a daughter of Strike the Anvil who Croft bred, owned and trained to be a multiple stakes winner of $425,000, earned mostly in main-track sprint stakes. Carambola’s future appears to be in two-turn turf races.

An intriguing prospect in the full field of older male runners drawn for the 10th race is Double G Stable’s 10-year-old gelding Tour of the Cat, a winner of more than $1 million, but entered for a $25,000 claiming tag in Sunday’s race after three starts previously at the meet on the main track for an $18,000 tag and no takers.

Trained for the last year by Rudy Wolfendale, Tour of the Cat posted more than $900,000 of his career bankroll in main track events going long and short, and has won only one of 14 tries on turf. That victory came as a 3-year-old in 2001 in The Vid overnight stakes at Calder. However, the son of Tour d’Or did finish second in five other tries on turf.