Phillip Bauer

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though Rigney Racing's Played Hard (Into Mischief) will miss the GII Shuvee because of a fever, trainer Phillip Bauer said Friday that she might run in the GI Personal Ensign on Aug. 25. Bauer said it's a moving target that he could set his sights on. "We'll hopefully get time to get a breeze into her next week and see what she does," he said. Another possible start could be in the GIII Locust Grove on Sept. 16 at Churchill Downs in the race she won...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - While Clairiere (Curlin) and Nest (Curlin) are in the spotlight, attracting most of the attention in the runup to the GII Shuvee S. on Sunday, Played Hard (Into Mischief) is, well, lurking. Stonestreet Stable's Clairiere has won consecutive Grade Is to climb to the top of the older dirt filly division. Nest, last year's 3-year-old filly champ co-owned by Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House, will make her first start of 2023. Meanwhile, Played Hard, trained by Phillip Bauer for Rigney Racing, has been...