Allowance wide open on either surface

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The highlight of a 10-race Friday card looks wide open, regardless of whether it remains on turf as scheduled. It’s a $97,000 first-level allowance that goes as race 9 with a full field of 10 fillies and mares.

Depending on weather and course conditions – intermittent showers and temperatures in the 40s are in the forecast for Friday – the one-mile race will be run around two turns over turf, or around one turn if it’s switched to the main track.

The feature is part of the 20-cent Single 6 (races 5-10), which began a five-day week Wednesday with $151,379 in its carryover jackpot.

Allowance races also will serve as features on Saturday, since there are no stakes here this weekend.

First post daily through meet’s end is 1 p.m. Eastern, except for Thanksgiving Day (11:30 a.m.).

◗ Hog Creek Hustle, a late-running sixth in the Nov. 2 BC Sprint in his last start, could be making his turf debut soon as his connections mull running him next in the Dec. 28 Woodchopper at Fair Grounds.

Patty Tipton, who manages the Something Special partnership, which owns Hog Creek Hustle, said the 3-year-old colt exited the Sprint in good shape and that she and trainer Vickie Foley are considering a multitude of options that do not include the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. Hog Creek Hustle’s win in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens and second in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens are the high points from his 12 starts.

◗ The biggest annual fundraiser for the Backstretch Learning Center, which conducts inspiring year-round work on behalf of stable workers and their families, is being held Friday with a Day at the Races and silent auction at Churchill. More information is available at backsidelearningcenter.org/b4b.