Brass Hat headed to Cornhusker Handicap

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Buff Bradley wanted to shorten up Brass Hat from the marathon races the venerable gelding has been running in for much of the last two years. Bradley ultimately chose to ship Brass Hat to Prairie Meadows in Iowa for the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race set for next Saturday.

One alternative option for Bradley was to wait for a July 3 allowance at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/16-mile race expected to mark the seasonal debut of 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

"I'm already shortening him up from 1 1/2-mile races," said Bradley. "I really thought about staying here and waiting for that race, but there's no assurances it'll go. Besides, Mine That Bird is looking pretty darn good right now. I would've been running against him for $63,000, but this way we can go out of town, keep Calvin, and run for the $300,000 at a little longer distance."

Nine-year-old Brass Hat, an earner of nearly $2.1 million, posted a bullet workout early Friday at Churchill with Borel aboard, going five furlongs in 59.20 seconds over a fast track.

Second night card draws crowd of 24,465

Churchill hosted its second of four night programs at the 2010 spring meet when promoting "South Beach" here Friday night, and 24,465 ontrack fans - quite a few of them scantily clad in an appropriate mode for both the sweltering weather and the prevailing theme - turned out for the 11-race card.

The first night card on June 11 attracted 25,012, meaning the ontrack crowds are running slightly behind the nearly 30,000 averaged here last spring, when three night programs were conducted under temporary lights. Churchill officials have said they are extremely pleased with the aura being fostered by the youthful crowds so far this year.

Music City, a 12-1 shot under Tommy Pompell, won the Friday feature, the $59,824 Morluc Stakes at five furlongs on the grass.

The theme for the next racing program here Friday, June 25, is "Dress to Impress."

* Tapitsfly, winner of the 2009 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, might be able to make a race here before the end of the meet, according to trainer Dale Romans.

Tapitsfly, bred and owned by Frank Jones Jr., is unraced since her half-length score in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup, having undergone surgery to remove an ankle chip. The gray Tapit filly had her first workout May 23 and has since worked three more times.