It's been a remarkable year for the team of Richard Rigney and Phil Bauer and the duo aims to continue their success with their top 3-year-old filly Xigera, who's on target to compete in the Grade 3, $400,000 Falls City on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs.
“Overall, it's been such a special year for Richard and our whole team,” Bauer said. “We're hoping the back half of this year will springboard Xigera to an even better 4-year-old season.”
Xigera began her 3-year-old campaign in June but boasts a solid record of four wins in five starts, most notably a 3 ½-length victory in the Mother Goose Stakes (G2) three weeks ago.
Prior to competing in the Mother Goose, Bauer and Rigney toyed with running Xigera in the Breeders' Cup Distaff but opted to bypass the race.
Overall, Xigera has excelled on both dirt and turf. As a 2-year-old, the daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist broke her maiden win by a convincing 5 ¾ lengths at Saratoga. In her next start, she switched to dirt and finished fourth in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland. After a perplexing last-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), Bauer opted to give Xigera a break until June. She returned to the races against first-level allowance company at Churchill Downs and confidently defeated 10 rivals by 3 ½ lengths. One month later, Xigera continued her 3-year-old campaign and bested seven rivals in the Tepin Stakes at Ellis Park. Bauer then shipped Xigera back to Saratoga for the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3) but she finished a distant sixth over the listed “soft” turf.
Following that race, Bauer switched Xigera back to dirt where she cruised to a 6 ¼-length victory in the Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs, achieving her career-best Brisnet Speed Rating of 101 at the time. She improved that figure by two points in the Mother Goose.
Xigera resumed her serious training at Churchill Downs on Thursday and posted a swift half-mile workout in :47.80.
The 108th running of the 1 1/8-mile Falls City will take place on Thanksgiving Day. Bauer won last year's edition with Played Hard who went on to win the La Troienne (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day.
A full list of nominations for the Falls City will be released by the racing office in the coming days.
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