Kid Kate looks to finally make grass debut

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Kid Kate makes her delayed turf debut Sunday in the $100,000 Little Silver Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park.

Trainer Chad Brown tried twice last year to put Kid Kate on the grass, only to be rained off both times.

Turns out, she loved the slop. Kid Kate romped to a maiden win at Saratoga, followed by a victory in the Junior Championship Stakes at Monmouth.

Kid Kate closed out her year with a big swing in the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes, where she finished ninth.

"She had missed a little training, and we went ahead and ran her in there trying to take advantage of the 2-year-old filly races before the end of the year," Brown said. "She was a little short in the race and she came out of it a little sore, so we gave her the time off."

Brown waited patiently for this one-mile spot to kick off the season for Kid Kate, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid.

"It's always been our intention to get her on the grass," Brown said. "I think she'll be okay on it. She couldn't be training any better. We took our time and were patient with her. The owners were great about it. She's showing me right now she wants to run. Whether she likes the turf is the only question mark."

Elvis Trujillo, who guided Kid Kate to the Junior Championship win, will be aboard.

In the Rough also won here in the slop last summer. Her last four starts were all on turf at Gulfstream Park.

After winning the Coconut Grove Stakes in February, In the Rough didn't fire in the Herecomesthebride Stakes, a race trainer Kelly Breen chalks up as a bounce regression following the win. Most recently, she was fourth in the Boynton Beach Stakes.

"I think she's due for a good race," Breen said. "She came back to run a decent fourth last time. I think she's poised to pounce and ready to go."

In the Rough had a turf breeze here Wednesday, a half-mile in 49.20 seconds.

Jose Valdivia Jr., leading the pack at Delaware Park with 16 wins from only 56 mounts, comes up to ride Great Gracie Dane, a statebred allowance winner most recently at Aqueduct.

Completing the field are Ultimate Class, Strike It Rich, Elusive Temper, Potosina, Sea Road, Tia, and Dattt Echo. C C's Pal was entered for the main track only.