(From Turfway Park)
The 24th running of the $50,000 Turfway Prevue Stakes at Turfway Park Jan. 2 opens the track’s stakes series for 3-year-olds and is the first prep for the Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II) in March.
The field for the 6 1/2 furlong Prevue is headed by a pair of homebreds—Lucky Chuck, looking for his third straight win and fourth overall, and Kera's Kitten, a son of turf champion Kitten's Joy and winner of the El Joven Stakes at Retama Park.
Lucky Chuck’s most recent two wins include a 6 1/2-length score in the mud in the Indiana Futurity at Hoosier Park in October. In his next start, a Turfway allowance two weeks ago, he stalked the pace and drew away to win by more than four lengths, defeating Fish, Z. I. Zipp, and Coosada, all also entered for the Turfway Prevue. He has been training well at Turfway, posting four bullet works in succession since mid-November.
Lucky Chuck is trained by David Pate for owner/breeder Spade Stable and will be ridden by Ben Creed, the holiday meet’s leading rider. The Turfway Prevue will be the gelding’s ninth career start.
Kera’s Kitten has two wins in three starts, including the five-length score in the El Joven. He broke his maiden at first asking with a front-running one-length win at Kentucky Downs. Both wins, the first a sprint and the second just over a mile, came over soft turf.
In his third start, the Grand Canyon Handicap at Churchill, Kera’s Kitten was a well-beaten seventh over firm turf after racing in second most of the 1 1/16-mile distance. Kera’s Kitten has three works over the Turfway track but the Prevue will be his first race there. John McKee will be aboard the 5-2 morning-line favorite for trainer Mike Maker and owners/breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
The Turfway Prevue field from the rail out: Lucky Chuck; Kera’s Kitten; Don’t Put It Back; Sciarpa Rosso; Coosada; Successful Score; Fish; Z. I. Zipp; and Rockin’ Rockstar.
The Prevue is the ninth of 10 races on the card. First post is 1:10 p.m. EDT.