Z.I. Zipp upsets Turfway Prevue

Z.I. Zipp went straight to the lead under Tommy Pompell and never looked back in posting a 17-1 upset Saturday in the for 3-year-olds at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Bred and owned by Patricia and Michael Freeny and locally based with trainer Bill Connelly, Z.I. Zipp prevailed by 4 1/4 lengths over Fish in a field of eight. The City Zip gelding returned $36.80 as fifth choice after finishing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19.66 over Polytrack. The Prevue marked the second victory in four career starts for the winner.

Don't Put It Back finished third, while Lucky Chuck, the 6-5 favorite, was fourth. Kera's Kitten, the 5-2 second choice, was never a contender when finishing seventh after stumbling badly at the start.

The Prevue is the first of four stakes for 3-year-olds at the winter-spring meet, with the Grade 2 Lane's End Stakes on March 20 being the finale.

* The 21-day holiday meet ended Thursday with all-sources handle up less than 1 percent over corresponding 2008 figures despite ontrack handle being down nearly 18 percent. The per-day averages were $2,794,975 and and $105,327, respectively. Per-day purses averaged $111,589, down 14 percent.

Turfway will be on a three-day-a-week schedule in January and February, with racing conducted at night on Fridays and during the afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays.