Bauer continues roll with victory by Played Hard in Locust Grove

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The beat goes on for Phil Bauer. Fresh from a breakthrough meet at Saratoga, the 37-year-old trainer won his second stakes of the week when Played Hard sped to victory Saturday in the Grade 3, $393,000 Locust Grove at Churchill Downs.

Given a textbook ride from Joel Rosario, Played Hard drew off to a 5 3/4-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Locust Grove, giving Bauer and his private client Richard Rigney their first stakes victory at their home track. The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief returned $6.24 after finishing in 1:43.50 over a fast track.

Bauer had won stakes at five different tracks since he began training in 2013, but, curiously enough, this was his first on the Kentucky circuit.

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“This is our first stakes win at Churchill, so it’s pretty special,” said Bauer. “What a filly this is. She really deserved a graded win like this.”

Played Hard broke swiftest from the outside post in a field of just five fillies and mares after the early scratch of longshot Princess of Cairo. Into the first turn, Rosario deftly conceded the lead to an eager Crazy Beautiful, allowing his mount to settle into a prime stalking spot without interrupting her momentum.

Leaving the half-mile pole, Played Hard moved to retake the lead, doing so just as Li’l Tootsie was launching an outside bid. As they pulled away from Crazy Beautiful, Played Hard was moving the better of the two, and she proceeded to her fourth victory from 12 starts. The bay filly has now won 3 of 4 this year, including a May allowance victory at Churchill and an allowance score at Saratoga in her preceding start.

Li’l Tootsie, a last-out winner of the Groupie Doll at Ellis, finished another 1 1/2 lengths back in third, followed in order by Gold Spirit and the 19-10 favorite, Envoutante.

Bauer, who grew up in Louisville, went 6 for 13 at the Saratoga summer meet, which ended Sept. 5, then won a restricted stakes Wednesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis with Fireball Baby not long returning to his home base.

“You’ve got to enjoy these things while you can because you know how it can turn around on you,” he said. “Winning a graded race with this filly means a lot to us.”

The $2 exacta (5-3) paid $15.08 and the $1 trifecta (5-3-4) returned $28.06.