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Authentic’s Kentucky Derby Win Voted NTRA Moment Of The Year

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Authentic's stirring triumph in the 146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve has been voted the 2020 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on the results of 3,403 votes cast via Twitter and an online poll.

The winning moment occurred on September 5, 2020 at 7:05 p.m. ET on a day that saw the Run for the Roses contested without fans at Churchill Downs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Under handling from Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, Authentic defeated heavily favored Tiz the Law in the Kentucky Derby to give Spendthrift Farm its first win in the race under the helm of B. Wayne Hughes. The Kentucky Derby triumph also gave Velazquez his 200th career Grade 1 victory and trainer Bob Baffert a record-tying sixth win in the classic.

Adding to the magnitude of the moment was the fact that Authentic's triumph ignited a celebration from the more than 5,000 owners of My RaceHorse, one of several partners in the ownership of the son of Into Mischief along with Madaket Stables and Starlight Racing.

Represented on Twitter by the hashtag #AuthenticDerby, the winning moment earned 1,363 votes.

The FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year will be recognized and memorialized at the 50th Annual Eclipse Awards presented by Spendthrift Farm which will air live on TVG and Racetrack Television Network (RTN) on January 28 at 8 p.m. The ceremony will also be streamed on the following outlets: NTRA.com; America's Best Racing Facebook page and Twitter feed; XBTV Facebook page; DRF.com; Bloodhorse.com; ThoroughbredDailyNews.com; Equibase.com; Breeders' Cup Facebook page and YouTube channel; MyRacehorse Facebook page and YouTube channel; and TOBA.org.

Moment of the Year voters chose from 11 occurrences in 2020 illustrating a range of human emotions as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism. Authentic's exploits actually accounted for the top two voting choices as his triumph in the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic in track-record time, represented by the hashtag #AuthenticClassic, finished second in the balloting with 1,010 votes.

Finishing third in the voting was Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels becoming the first Black owners in 13 years to have a Kentucky Derby starter when Necker Island finished ninth in the Run for the Roses. Signified by the hashtag #RepresentationMatters, that moment garnered 508 votes.

The first-ever “NTRA Moment of the Year” was the touching scene between Charismatic and jockey Chris Antley following the 1999 Belmont Stakes. The next year's winner was the stretch run of the 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic, which saw Tiznow hold on for a dramatic victory against Giant's Causeway.

Tiznow won again the following year as fans selected his stirring repeat victory in the Classic over Sakhee. In 2002, fans cited the passing of the last living Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew. In 2003, the popular Kentucky Derby win by Funny Cide was selected. Birdstone's upset win in the Belmont Stakes over Smarty Jones took down top honors for 2004. In 2005, fans selected Afleet Alex's spectacular victory in the 2005 Preakness Stakes.

Voters in 2006 chose Barbaro's gallant struggle to recover from his Preakness injury while at the New Bolton Center. The 2007 Moment of the Year was a historic victory by the filly Rags to Riches over Curlin in the Belmont Stakes. In 2008, it was Zenyatta's win in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. Zenyatta “repeated” in 2009 as fans selected her triumph in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

In 2010, fans selected Blame's narrow Breeders' Cup Classic victory over Zenyatta. Drosselmeyer's hard-fought win over Game on Dude in the Breeders' Cup Classic was the public's choice for 2011. For 2012, the recovery of Paynter from near-deadly battles with laminitis and colitis captured the hearts of voters like no other story. In 2013, fans recognized Mucho Macho Man's nose victory in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic for his popular connections. The 2014 award went to California Chrome's dominant win in Kentucky Derby 140. In 2015 there was a landslide vote in favor of American Pharoah's historic Triple Crown-clinching Belmont Stakes win. In 2016, California Chrome was again part of the winning moment – a dramatic Dubai World Cup victory that came as Victor Espinoza's saddle slipped out from underneath him.

In 2017, the tragic fire at San Luis Rey and the industry's response led the way among the votes cast while Justify's sweep of the Classics to become just the 13th Triple Crown winner was the clear pick the following year. In 2019, Maximum Security's historic disqualification in the 145th Kentucky Derby — the first winner in Derby history to be demoted for a racing infraction — earned the distinction.

The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by Spendthrift Farm, Roberts Communications, Four Roses Bourbon, Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, FanDuel Group, The Stronach Group, TVG, Dean Dorton, Stonestreet Farm, Keeneland, Racetrack Television Network, Jackson Family Wines, Florida HBPA, Runhappy, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Hallway Feeds and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

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Baffert: Charlatan’s ‘Talent Makes Up For His Inexperience’ Heading To Saudi Cup

Though Bob Baffert doesn't expect to make the trip to Riyadh next month for the second edition of the $20 million Saudi Cup, the Hall of Fame trainer will have a strong hand with potential race-day favorite Charlatan headed overseas. The lightly-raced 4-year-old son of Speightstown will make the Saudi Cup just his fifth career start, but a big performance off the layoff in the Grade 1 Malibu on Dec. 26 proved talent isn't an issue.

“I think his talent makes up for his inexperience,” Baffert said during a conference call Wednesday. “I think he has enough experience where he doesn't know what it's like to lose. I think that's a good trait.”

Charlatan has crossed the wire first in all four of his career starts, though he was disqualified from his win in the G1 Arkansas Derby in May, 2020. Given time off for injury after that start, Charlatan returned to dominate the G1 Malibu by 4 1/2 lengths.

Baffert said the one-turn, 1 1/8-mile distance of the Saudi Cup was especially attractive with a speed horse like Charlatan.

“I think coming off the seven-eighths race, especially the way he did it, I think it is a perfect kind of distance,” the trainer said. “We know he ships well and he has a great mind on him. He's a good gate horse. It's very challenging to go to Saudi or Dubai. You need a really great mind and he has a really great mind. So I think that race fits the bill perfectly for him.”

Baffert indicated a couple minor concerns after the inaugural edition of the race, including a narrow starting gate that doesn't allow a header to stay with the horse, and a deeper track surface that the trainer thought could have used more water ahead of race day.

Another American-trained horse, Tacitus, will contest the Saudi Cup for a second straight year. The 5-year-old son of Tapit has danced most of the big dances and is regularly flirting with a top-level victory, but has yet to break through. Tacitus was fifth last year at Riyadh, and will be making his first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“Last year when we brought Tacitus, he had a nice little following locally due to the fact that he was a Juddmonte horse,” said Riley Mott, assistant to his father, trainer Bill Mott. “He had a lot of fans there on race day. And just to be there in (the late) Prince Khalid Abdullah's home country was very special. To bring Tacitus back this year is something we are very much looking forward to and a big reason why we kept him in training this year.”

It is currently unclear whether impressive Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go will ship over for the Saudi Cup. Trainer Brad Cox told the Daily Racing Form that a decision will be made by Monday.

“He does look really good out of the race, sound, a 5-year-old with a lot of energy. His weight's great,” reported Cox.

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Baffert Duo Spielberg, Medina Spirit Take On Competitive Field In Bob Lewis

Although Bob Baffert will be packing a heavy one-two punch with Spielberg and Medina Spirit, Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes has attracted a very competitive field of eight sophomores, with no clear-cut standout. To be contested at a mile and one sixteenth over Santa Anita's main track, the Lewis is a key prep to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3. Originally titled the Santa Catalina, the Lewis will be run for the 83rd time on Saturday.

Named in honor of the prominent late owner and philanthropist Robert B. Lewis, who along with his wife Beverly, owned two Kentucky Derby winners, Silver Charm in 1997 and Charismatic in 1999, the Lewis winner will receive 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The second place finisher will receive four, third place nets two points and the fourth place finisher will get one point.

Spielberg comes off a gutty nose victory at the same distance in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 19, which was his sixth career start. The win no doubt took on added luster when the runner-up, Doug O'Neill's The Great One, came back to demolish a field of maidens by 14 lengths this past Saturday.

Purchased for $1 million as a Keeneland September Yearling, Spielberg, a chestnut colt by Union Rags, out of the Smart Strike mare Miss Squeal, has been favored in four of his six starts and he'll be making his fifth graded stakes appearance. Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm, LLC and Robert Masterson, Spielberg will be ridden back by Flavien Prat and be trying to provide Baffert with his third consecutive Lewis win and his record ninth overall.

A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 11, Medina Spirit far outran his 9-1 odds in finishing a fast closing second, beaten three quarters of a length by his highly regarded stablemate Life Is Good in the G1 Sham Stakes going one mile on Jan. 2. Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., Medina Spirit, a Florida-bred colt by the Giant's Causeway stallion Protonico, was purchased for a modest $35,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale, 2020.

Second the entire trip in the Sham, Medina Spirit hit his best stride late and earned a lofty 99 Beyer Speed figure in the process. He'll be ridden back by Abel Cedillo, who comes of a fabulous three-day week at Santa Anita in which he posted nine wins.

Dismissed at 94-1, Doug O'Neill's Hot Rod Charlie made the lead a furlong from home and finished second, beaten three quarters of a length in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6 at Keeneland, earning a 94 Beyer. A one mile maiden winner here two starts back on Oct. 2, this colt by Oxbow is vastly improved, has been training impressively and will get the first time services of Joel Rosario. Owned by Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC and Strauss Bros Racing, Hot Rod Charlie closed much ground at Keeneland and will hope to be rolling late with plenty of pace to exploit in the Lewis.

A $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase, C R K Stable's Parnelli could likely pose significant trouble for anyone with front-running aspirations. A galloping 5 ¾ one mile maiden winner two starts back at Del Mar Nov. 28, this colt by Quality Road was a bit rank while under restraint early in the Sham on Jan. 2 and was never a factor thereafter. With a win, three seconds and a third, Parnelli, who is trained by John Shirreffs, will be ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli.

Owned by Reddam Racing, LLC and trained by Doug O'Neill, Wipe the Slate could also add plenty of fuel to the early pace fire, as he comes off an impressive 3 ¼ length maiden win going seven furlongs here on Dec. 26. A Kentucky-bred colt by Reddam's 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, Wipe the Slate looms a legitimate contender in his third start with Mario Gutierrez riding back.

THE GRADE III ROBERT B. LEWIS STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 8 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Medina Spirit—Abel Cedillo—120
Rombauer—Mike Smith—120
Parnelli—Umberto Rispoli—120
Hot Rod Charlie—Joel Rosario—20
Roman Centurian—Juan Hernandez—120
Waspirant—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
Wipe the Slate—Mario Gutierrez–120
Spielberg—Flavien Prat—124

First post time for an eight-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet.

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American Runners Ready for Return to Riyadh

A year ago, a brigade of American runners dominated results in the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup, taking four of the top five placings in the world's richest race. Another top-level group of U.S.-based horses are set to return to Riyadh for the second running of the 1 1/8-miles race Feb. 20. Leading the group is Charlatan (Speightstown), who returned from a layoff to record a scintillating victory in the Dec. 26 GI Malibu S. last month. The newly turned 4-year-old worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 (1/5) at Santa Anita Wednesday and shortly afterward trainer Bob Baffert declared the colt “better than he's ever been.”

“I think the Saudi Cup is perfect timing for him,” Baffert told reporters during a conference call Wednesday afternoon. “It's a one-turn 1 1/8 miles and I think coming off the seven-eighths race, especially the way he did it, I think it is a perfect kind of distance. We know he ships well and he has a great mind on him. He's a good gate horse. It's very challenging to go to Saudi or Dubai. You need a really great mind and he has a really great mind. So I think that race fits the bill perfectly for him.”

Charlatan will be making just his fifth start next month at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, but his lack of experience doesn't concern Baffert.

“I think his talent makes up for his inexperience,” Baffert, who finished fourth with Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) in last year's race, said. “I think he has enough experience where he doesn't know what it's like to lose. I think that's a good trait.”

Charlatan will be piloted in the desert by Mike Smith, who rode the colt for the first time in the Malibu. Smith finished second aboard Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in last year's Saudi Cup, but received a nine-day ban and was issued a $210,000 fan–60% of his share of the purse–for violating the country's whip rules.

Of the Hall of Fame jockey's return to Riyadh, Baffert quipped, “He's fine. I think he just needs to count a little bit better.”

Knicks Go (Paynter), winner of last year's GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, earned a trip to Riyadh with his front-running victory in the Jan. 23 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and could prove Charlatan's toughest competition.

“They are sort of the same type of horse,” Baffert said of a potential match-up between the two front-runners. “Knicks Go, he likes two turns, he likes that better because he can get away from his competition. Speed horses like that are so dangerous going two turns, but going a one-turn 1 1/8 miles, it's a different story.”

The Juddmonte Farms homebred Tacitus (Tapit), fifth in last year's Saudi Cup, makes a return trip to Riyadh to fly the colors of the late Prince Khalid Abdullah, who passed away just two weeks ago.

“Any time we lead a horse over there in Juddmonte's silks it is very special,” Riley Mott, assistant to his father, trainer Bill Mott, said during the teleconference Wednesday. “Every trainer in the world desires to train for such an operation. Last year when we brought Tacitus, he had a nice little following locally due to the fact that he was a Juddmonte horse. He had a lot of fans there on race day. And just to be there in Prince Khalid Abdullah's home country was very special. To bring Tacitus back this year is something we are very much looking forward to and a big reason why we kept him in training this year.”

Tacitus has made a name for himself more for the races he almost wins than the ones he actually wins. The regally bred gray was third in the GI Kentucky Derby, as well as the 2019 and 2020 renewals of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. He was runner-up in the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. in 2019 and again in the GI Woodward H. last year.

“He's been a little frustrating,” Mott admitted. “He always flirts with winning a top Grade I. He has placed in a lot of prestigious races here in the U.S. and is just on the cusp of breaking through in one of those big ones. He's by a champion stallion out of a champion mare that Prince Khalid Abdullah bred himself, so for him to break through and win one of these big Grade Is would mean the world for him in his next career as a stallion. We think he is capable of it. No matter what race we run him in, whether it be a Group III or Group I, he is always liable to hit the board. So we are hoping he is good on the day.”

Also representing the Mott barn in Riyadh next month will be multiple Grade I winner Channel Maker (English Channel), who is expected to go postward in the $1-million Middle Distance Turf Cup. Now seven, the chestnut gelding set the pace before settling for third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland last October.

“He's a horse we are very much looking forward to bringing over,” Mott said of Channel Maker. “We are confident in how he is doing and training. We will see how he stacks up against the competition, but he's been a really fun horse to have in the barn.”

Both Tacitus and Channel Maker could go on to engagements on the Dubai World Cup card in March if they exit their races in Saudi Arabia in fine fashion.

Despite the ongoing global pandemic, officials from the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia said it was all systems go for the Feb. 19 and 20 festival of races.

“We are going to get through this the same way as other big events before us,” said Tom Ryan, director of strategy and international racing for the Jockey Club said. “Whether that's Hong Kong in December, Bahrain in November or the Breeders' Cup, there is a template there internationally for us to follow. This will be the Saudi Arabian version of that.”

Of attendance on race day, Ryan added, “In terms of attendance on course, it will be greatly scaled back compared to last year's very positive and well-attended event–participants, a small number of ministers in an outdoor setting, very prudently arranged. That will be about it, I think.”

While Baffert was on hand for the Saudi Cup's inaugural running, the trainer said he would be staying home this time around.

“I'm going to send [assistant] Jimmy [Barnes],” Baffert said. “One of us has to stay back. If for some reason they don't let us back in, I have to be here to keep the ship going.”

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