Bashford Manor top three exit race in good order

Connections of the top three finishers in Friday's Bashford Manor S. (G3) at

Churchill Downs

reported their runners came out of the race in good order.

Frank Bernis,

assistant to trainer Tom Amoss, said that everything was good with Bashford

Manor winner BACKTALK (Smarty Jones) on Saturday morning but that no plans for the

chestnut colt's next start had been made. Backtalk captured his career debut by

2 3/4 lengths on June 11 at Churchill and is now undefeated from two lifetime

starts.

Trainer Merrill Scherer is eyeing Saratoga with Bashford Manor runner-up

FLATTER THAN ME (Flatter), whom he owns in partnership with Dan Lynch and Ken Sentel.

"I am 70 years old and never started a horse in the state of New York, but I

may as well start now," Scherer said.

Flatter Than Me may have company at Saratoga in the two-year-old lass MISS

DIANE (Montbrook), of whom Scherer also is a part owner. Miss Diane broke her

maiden in her debut on June 19, clocking the fastest 4 1/2 furlongs of the meet

in :50.99.

Millsap Stables' BRASSY BOY (Storm and a Half), who finished third in the

Bashford Manor, is going to get a short break, according to trainer Hal Wiggins.

"There is not much for him at Ellis Park," Wiggins said. "We are looking at

the Razorback Futurity for Arkansas-breds at Louisiana Downs on October 3 with a

race before that in September."

Brassy Boy's full brother, Brassie Prince, won the Razorback Futurity in

2005.

One colt who did not make the Bashford Manor was Twin Creeks Racing Stable's

MISSION IMPAZIBLE (Unbridled's Song), who was scratched the morning of the race.

"He just had a minor setback," said Mike McCarthy, assistant to trainer Todd

Pletcher. "He is expected back by the end of the summer and if he checks out OK

he'll likely go to Saratoga."