Speed sets up for Played Hard

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Races for leading jockey and trainer at the Churchill Downs spring meet have been clearly defined for a while now, but the owner’s title is still up for grabs.

Phil Bauer is well aware. The trainer’s sole client, Richard Rigney, began the final six-day stretch of the meet tied with Gary and Mary West for top owner with six wins apiece. Played Hard, one of the more capable runners in the stable, will be looking to advance the Rigney cause when facing five other fillies and mares in the Thursday feature at Churchill.

“We’d love to see her move forward off her last,” said Bauer, referring to a May 21 comeback victory. “We took the blinkers off her for that last one, and she relaxed real nice. She’s on her game right now.”

Rigney, who made a fortune in the beverage-flavoring business, has made a Churchill owner’s title a primary objective since getting into the game in earnest nearly a decade ago. His 28 starts through Sunday are tops among owners, and Bauer said they’ll have a few more to run before the 42-day meet ends Monday.

“We’ve got a couple more that should fit,” Bauer said.

Into the final week of the meet, Tyler Gaffalione (51 wins) already has sewn up another riding title, while Brad Cox (22 wins) and Steve Asmussen (19) have gone clear of their colleagues in the race for top trainer. Things were much tighter among owners, with Juddmonte Farms right behind the leading pair with five wins and three more ownership entities having collected four wins.

Played Hard, a 4-year-old Into Mischief filly, will have Martin Garcia aboard breaking from the outside post as the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the sixth race, a $134,000, second-level allowance. The 1 1/16-mile race is top-heavy with speed, but “the outside post ought to really help us,” Bauer said. “She’s got tactical speed, and hopefully that’ll be to our advantage the way this figures to develop.”

Tap for Me (post 5, Gaffalione), a daughter of the great sprint mare Groupie Doll, is among the chief opposition for Played Hard, along with All Luck (post 3, Ricardo Santana Jr.) and Powder River (post 4, Brian Hernandez Jr.). All four tend to run on or near the lead.

A second allowance on an eight-race Thursday card directly follows as race 7. It’s a $127,000, first-level allowance going a one-turn mile, with Elite Power clearly the horse to beat in a field of nine 3-yearolds and up after earning a 97 Beyer Speed Figure in a last-out maiden triumph for Juddmonte.

PDJF function Saturday

Legendary jockeys such as Pat Day, Steve Cauthen, Laffit Pincay Jr., Chris McCarron, and Julie Krone will be on hand for the big Stephen Foster card Saturday at Churchill for an autograph session and silent auction to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

Churchill is partnering with Jockeys & Jeans in hosting a session that will be held in the Plaza from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. More than 25 retired and active riders will participate. A private meet-and-greet event with a buffet lunch in the Triple Crown Room also is available. Further detail is available at jockeysandjeans.com.