Falls City winner Xigera will point to La Troienne after a break

Rigney Racing’s Xigera, the impressive 6 1/2-length winner of the Grade 3 Falls City, will head for a planned break this winter before targeting the Grade 1 La Troienne on Kentucky Derby 2024 weekend at Churchill Downs.

“We’re going to take her to the sidelines for the winter and hopefully take the same course as we did last year with Played Hard and target the La Troienne,” trainer Phil Bauer said. “Our year-end goal next year will be the Breeders’ Cup. We got bit with the injury bug this year with Played Hard who we retired and never got to make it to the Breeders’ Cup. Hopefully Xigera can fill Played Hard’s shoes now that she’s out of the barn.”

Xigera’s victory in Falls City was the fifth win of her 3-year-old season from just six starts. Bauer switched Xigera to the dirt three starts ago in the Seneca Overnight Stakes where she defeated Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) fourth-place finisher She’s Lookin Lucky and Black Eyed Susan (G2) heroine Taxed. In her next start, Xigera took on Grade 1 winner Defining Purpose in the Mother Goose (G2) and defeated her by 3 1/2 lengths.

Bauer won last year’s Falls City with Played Hard who returned five months later to win the La Troienne by a neck over Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Secret Oath.

Xigera capped a three-win day for Rigney and Bauer. The duo won race no. 9 with veteran Angkor and race no. 12 with 2-year-old first-time starter Legadema.