Played Hard headlines Falls City at Churchill Downs
The 1 1/8-mile Falls City has been run on Thanksgiving Day since 1987. This year’s event will go as race 10 of 12 with a post time of 3:53 p.m. EST. First post is 11:30 a.m. and the card also features the $300,000 Cardinal Stakes (G3) in race 11.
Trained by Phil Bauer, Rigney Racing’s Played Hard drew off to a 5 3/4-length victory in the Sept. 17 Locust Grove. In her next start, the improving 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief finished third to eventual Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Malathaat in the $600,000 Spinster (G1). Overall, Played Hard sports a record of 13: 4-5-2 and has banked $672,870 in purse earnings. The versatile filly has yet to finish off the board in her 2022 campaign with three wins, one second and one third-place effort. Played Hard will be ridden in the Locust Grove by Joel Rosario from post No. 4.
Chief among her competition that entered the Locust Grove is multiple stakes-winning Pennsylvania-bred filly Leader of the Band. Trained by John Servis and ridden by Luis Saez, Leader of the Band was victorious as a 3-year-old in the $259,000 Monmouth Oaks (G3). Along with her Monmouth Oaks score, Leader of the Band’s résumé includes wins in the $135,000 Summer Colony at Saratoga and $102,000 Lady’s Secret at Monmouth. In her last start, the 4-year-old filly finished second as the 2-5 favorite to Love in the Air in the $200,000 Plum Pretty at Parx. Leader of the Band drew the rail in the Falls City.
Other accomplished horses that entered the Falls City are Grade I-placed Ava’s Grace; three-time winning California invader Bellamore; takes winner Moon Swag; and stakes winner She’s All Wolfe.
The Falls City was first run in 1875 and was restricted to 3-year-olds. Camargo won the first running, which was a match race worth a purse of $1,125. The favorites have only won the Falls City twice in the last 10 years: Mylady Curlin (2019) and Afleeting Lady (2012).
Racing on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs has been a Louisville tradition since 1969.
2022 Falls City G3
| Fin | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
She's All Wolfe
Magna Graduate |
5.12 |
Donnie K. Von Hemel
Joe Rocco |
4th, 2022 Fleur de Lis G2
|
Entered | |
| Last Race |
4th, 2022 Fleur de Lis G2
|
|||||
|
|
Played Hard
Into Mischief |
5.09 |
Philip A. Bauer
Joel Rosario |
3rd, 2022 Spinster G1
|
Entered | |
| Last Race |
3rd, 2022 Spinster G1
|
|||||
|
|
Moon Swag
Malibu Moon |
4.09 |
Brendan P. Walsh
Tyler Gaffalione |
3rd, 2021 Seneca Overnight LS
|
Entered | |
| Last Race |
3rd, 2021 Seneca Overnight LS
|
|||||
|
|
Leader Of The Band
Bandbox |
6.09 |
John C. Servis
Luis Saez |
2nd, 2022 Plum Pretty RS
|
Entered | |
| Last Race |
2nd, 2022 Plum Pretty RS
|
|||||
|
|
Bellamore
Empire Maker |
4.79 |
Simon Callaghan
Martin Garcia |
3rd, 2022 Rodeo Drive Stakes G1
|
Entered | |
| Last Race |
3rd, 2022 Rodeo Drive Stakes G1
|
|||||
|
|
Ava's Grace
Laoban |
4.15 |
Ricky Courvil
David Cohen |
5th, 2022 Fleur de Lis G2
|
Entered | |
| Last Race |
5th, 2022 Fleur de Lis G2
|
|||||