Two allowance races top Friday card

A pair of allowances will be co-featured at Churchill on the 10-race Friday card, which starts at 1 p.m. Eastern. Both are for fillies and mares and are scheduled for the grass.

Race 6 is a $102,000 third-level mile in which Smart Shot, trained by Rusty Arnold, will be looking to improve on her 3-for-5 mark over the Churchill turf. Race 9 is a $97,000 first-level race at 1 3/8 miles, and there’s no real standout among a full field of 12.

Racing was canceled here Wednesday because of sub-freezing temperatures, marking the first such cancellation since the 2014 fall meet. A resumption of racing was expected Thursday with a moderate warming trend.

◗ Restless Rider won’t race again until early next year to recover from a quarter crack that forced trainer Kenny McPeek to scratch the Grade 1-winning filly from her intended comeback race, the Oct. 19 Raven Run at Keeneland. Restless Rider has gone unraced since finishing 13th as the second choice in the Kentucky Oaks in May.

“We’re making sure everything’s just right before we get her back on a work schedule,” said McPeek. “We’ll take her to Florida soon and look for a good spot at Gulfstream.”

◗ The biggest fundraiser held annually by the Backside Learning Center at Churchill is set for next Friday (Nov. 22) with a day at the races on Millionaire’s Row. Tickets and an online charity auction are available at www.benefitforthebackside.org.