Taxed collects big in the Black-Eyed Susan (Barbara Singer/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Richard Bahde’s former $50,000 claimer turned Grade II winner Taxed leads a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday’s third running of the $175,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Taxed and her six rivals will go to post at 10:11 p.m. in Race 9. First post for the special “Downs After Dark” program is 6 p.m. The 11-race card also features the $300,000 Dogwood (GIII), $300,000 Bourbon Trail and $300,000 Harrods Creek.
Trained by veteran Randy Morse, Taxed has greatly rewarded her connections since being claimed on Nov. 20, 2022. On Preakness Day eve, Taxed powered past Hoosier Philly to win the Black Eyed Susan (GII) by 3 ¾ lengths. The daughter of Collected also sports runner-up efforts in the Fantasy (GIII), Indiana Oaks (GIII) and Martha Washington. Jockey Cristian Torres will have the call for the first time on Taxed in the Seneca from the rail.
Another stakes winner that entered the Seneca is Rigney Racing’s Tepin winner Xigera. Trained by Phil Bauer, Xigera will make only her second start on dirt. Her only start on the main track came as a 2-year-old in the Alcibiades (GI) at Keeneland when she had a troubled trip to finish third. Xigera began her 3-year-old season in early June at Churchill Downs with an impressive 3 ½-length victory at one mile on turf. She followed that up with a gritty half-length score in the Tepin at Ellis Park. Xigera enters the Seneca following a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (GIII). The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist will be ridden by Julien Leparoux out of post No. 7.
Here is the complete Seneca field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Taxed (Torres, Morse); Sabra Tuff (Rey Gutierrez, Dallas Stewart); She’s Lookin Lucky (Ricardo Santana Jr., Matt Shirer); Poblano (Francisco Arrieta, Brendan Walsh); Champagne Calling (Declan Cannon, Ian Wilkes); Fun and Feisty (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek); Xigera (Julien Leparoux, Phil Bauer); and Nomadic Pride (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss).
