8 Months After Its First Win at Locust G3, Philip Bauer’s First G1 Winner Trains Its Sights on Saratoga

The best thing to witness is seeing someone you train grow stronger every day and especially in the equestrian field. The same is the case with Philip Bauer and his 4-year-old filly. Philip is a private trainer for Rigney Racing, which is owned by Louisville, Ky, venturer Richard Rigney and his wife, Tammy. He was last seen in a Barn Tour report whose little filly, Played Hard, had just won the Grade 3 Locust Grove at Churchill Downs. Today she has galloped to another level of success.

When the 4-year-old won the Grade 3 event, Bauer expressed, “That’s probably our biggest win to date.” The little one has today reached another level of success and Bauer is more than elated.

The rise in success of equestrian Philip Bauer and his 4-year-old filly 

The filly Played Hard who stepped just a stair in her first event has now made her trainer proud by achieving new heights. She is now Bauer’s first Grade 1 winner and first winner of multiple graded stakes after victories this year in Falls City (G3) and La Troienne (G1). Bauer expressed to Horse Racing Nation that the performance cannot get much better than that in this game. He also added, “Very fortunate to be able to train her, to get the Grade 1 next to her name.” It is going to be very exciting to see the upcoming years when she becomes a part of the broodmare band with the Rigneys.

It was a very special day for Philip, and he will never be able to forget it. He expressed for Played Hard that, “this game boils down to the horse, and she’s a pretty good one.” Philip has now caught a good rhythm with her, and she has been giving amazing results for them for the last six months. He wishes for Played Hard to join the older division and can finish the year as strong as they finished the last one.

Equestrian Bauer’s further plans for Played Hard and others in his stable from Saratoga 

Bauer has been planning further for Played Hard and the other horses in his stable. He said that he had planned for Played Hard to run in the Shuvee (G2) which was won by Nest this Saturday in her 2023 debut. From Saratoga, the trainer had a discussion about his other horses for HRN’s Barn Tour series.

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His 4-year-old Arrogate filly Skratch Kat is 0-for-3 this year and stood third in the Shuvee this Saturday. As of now, she is getting a few weeks off and most probably will get back in Kentucky this fall. Similarly, for her other 3-year-old Xigera, she will be running in the Saratoga Oaks (G3) on Aug 4. They are planning to provide her with a little more ground. He has planned for several others like Anna’s Arabesque, Warrior Johny, Kiagli, and other 2-year-olds. For the 2-year-olds, they have just been a little slower to develop, with little hiccups here and there.

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