LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Strange as it may sound, Asphalt cushioned the glancing blow that Eddie Kenneally took Breeders’ Cup weekend. Kenneally had been holding out hope of winning the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, but Warbling was an early defection, and My Jen finished last of 14 after capturing the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom in her final prep. So Kenneally was happy to see Asphalt run as well as he did here Thursday in overcoming a spot of early trouble to win a second-level turf allowance easily as an odds-on favorite. “It was a nice confidence-builder for him,” Kenneally said of Asphalt, a 3-year-old War Chant colt who was making a rare dip into allowance company after seven straight stakes berths. Asphalt, a Florida-bred, could race next in the Sunshine Millions series early next year, said Kenneally. Meanwhile, My Jen will be part of the sizable string that Kenneally once again will take for the winter to the Palm Meadows training center in south Florida. “There’s nothing for her in the next couple months, so this is a good time to freshen her a little,” he said. Kenneally also said Mimi’s Bling, a 33-1 winner of the Franklin County Stakes last month at Keeneland, will run next in the Dec.  11 Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, while Missyoulikecrazy, third in the Pocahontas, goes next in the Nov. 27 Golden Rod at Churchill. Kenneally, a 44-year-old Irishman, enjoyed the best season of his 17-year career last year with 71 wins and stable earnings of more than $2.8 million. Through Thursday, his totals for 2010 stood at 51 wins and earnings of $2.24 million. Mine That Bird staying put for now Mine That Bird is going to be hanging around Churchill a little longer than originally anticipated, according to co-owner Leonard Blach. The recently retired Kentucky Derby winner probably will be picked up from trainer D. Wayne Lukas sometime around Thanksgiving, Blach said Friday. Blach said he and/or Mark Allen, the other co-owner, will bring their own van from New Mexico to pick up Mine That Bird, the gelding whose stunning 2009 Derby victory was followed by nine straight defeats. “We’d hoped to come get him right away, but we’re pretty busy with some other things, so it’ll probably be the week after next before we can come get him,” said Blach. ◗ Garrett Gomez was scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging examination Friday at the Kerlan-Jobe sports medicine clinic in Los Angeles for his injured right shoulder, according to Ron Anderson, agent for the star jockey. Gomez injured the shoulder in a Nov. 4 spill at Churchill but still was able to ride in eight Breeders’ Cup races, including the Classic, which he won aboard Blame. He had an initial consultation Thursday at Kerlan-Jobe with Dr. James Tibone, who will use the MRI results in his evaluation of when Gomez will be able to resume riding. ◗ Rajpur Road ran her record to 4 for 6 over the Churchill main track when drawing off to an easy win over $5,000 claiming fillies here Thursday. Rajpur Road, a 4-year-old filly by Arch, began her career two falls ago for the since-retired Frankie Brothers. She was claimed Thursday by owner-trainer Vernon Obermeier.