Batch converion to PS smart objects from ACR 4.2

I want to open a bunch of raw files in ACR 4.2 from Bridge and create PhotoShop smart objects from them. I tried to do this by selecting the files in Bridge and opening them all in ACR. This is where I got stuck.
- If I click "Open Object" one file is opened in Photoshop and I can save it as a Smart Object. This works but is very slow for 50-100 images. Also, I found a bug that truncates the filename so I have to manually fix each one.
- If I click "Save Image" the images save as regular images, not as smart objects. The "Save Image..." button apparently saves only regular images, not smart objects, and I can't find any way to change the label to "Save Object..." or otherwise change the mode.
I've set the options at the bottom to "Open in PhotoShop as Smart Objects" (as I said, the Open command will create the smart object) but can't anyway to make the "Save Image" command actually save objects.
Is there a way to do this or is it a limitation with smart objects in ACR?
Environment: PS CS3, ACR 4.2, Bridge 2.1, Windows XP 64 bit with all updates installed for each.

Sorry, I guess I need to explain better.
I wrote a script to do this, but here is this portion of the workflow:
1. Open CR2 file in ACR and make adjustments.
2. Open as Smart Object in PS.
3. Script Events Manager activates this script on Document Open, checks to see if it was opened as a Smart Object. We'll assume it did.
4. The script asks me if I want to make another layer. I pick yes. The script copies the SO layer, sets an inverted mask, and opens to edit settings in ACR again.
5. I adjust the settings for that layer in ACR and click OK.
The script will keep looping between 4 and 5 as long as I pick YES.
This gives me more local control of areas. If I want to bring out eyes a bit, I can up contrast, saturation, sharpness, brightness, exposure, or whatever looks best for the eyes in ACR, then unmask the eyes as much as I want on that layer in Photoshop. There is more data to pull from in the RAW file vs trying to do the same thing within Photoshop.
Opening as a regular image file then converting to a SO doesn't give me the same control. I would have to reopen the file separately, make the adjustments in ACR, open to PS then copy that document and paste as a new layer in the original.
Duplicating the document might work also, but I can also just save as .psd at that point since I'd have to know the path name by then anyway. I'll give that a try, though, and see if it might work better. The only catch with the save part is it slows me down waiting for it to write the file and if I have 5+ SO layers, it takes awhile. Once I unmask where I want, I flatten to a rasterized layer and continue.
Thanks

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