Churchill Downs: Cigar Mile a possibility for Groupie Doll

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Buff Bradley said Wednesday at Churchill Downs that he is mulling the possibility of running Groupie Doll against males in the Grade 1, $350,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, depending on what the weight assignments look like.

Bradley said he has little to lose by trying male rivals in the Nov. 24 Cigar Mile, given that Groupie Doll surely clinched a 2012 Eclipse Award for top female sprinter with another convincing triumph Nov. 3 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Bradley, who bred and co-owns Groupie Doll with his father, Fred, initially said he intended to give Groupie Doll some time off at the family farm in Frankfort, Ky., before he takes the filly and his other top horses to Florida for the winter before Groupie Doll gears up for a 5-year-old campaign.

But upon further review, with the filly staying put at Churchill and feeling as good as she is, the Cigar Mile is a possibility. Weight assignments for the Cigar Mile are due for release Sunday.

“It wouldn’t be an easy race, but with as good as she is right now, we’re thinking about it,” said Bradley.

Referring to Groupie Doll’s appearance at a parade of Breeders’ Cup winners here Sunday, Bradley said she was “dragging around” her handlers.

“I want to make sure the weights are fair,” he said. “If they look all right, we’ll probably go.”

Groupie Doll has won five straight races since Bradley added quarter-cup blinkers to her equipment. At 3-5 odds, she was the heaviest favorite to win a Breeders’ Cup event during the two-day event at Santa Anita. She has earned more than $1.3 million this year, all for the Bradleys and their minority partners, Carl Hurst and Brent Burns.