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Authentic Runs Them Off Their Feet in the Classic

Authentic (Into Mischief) provided Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert with a fourth victory-all with 3-year-olds–in the $6-million GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, leading throughout en route to a 2 1/4-length defeat of stablemate Improbable (City Zip) as the sun set in Saturday’s main event at Keeneland.

Ridden for speed by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the GI Kentucky Derby hero and narrow GI Preakness S. runner-up led the Classic field under the wire for the first time, doing so with a minimum of fuss, and with stablemates Improbable and Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) deferring, was able to get the opening half-mile in :47.06, according to Trakus.

They began to edge closer to the front-runner as they raced into the final half-mile, but Authentic remained strong up front while Improbable tried to make a race of it wide on the turn. Holding firm into the final three-sixteenths of a mile, Authentic kicked on gamely and was home safely ahead of Improbable, who covered a whopping 67 more feet than the winner, according to Trakus.

Global Campaign (Curlin) raced prominently throughout and finished third, two lengths ahead of Tacitus (Tapit), who rallied from next to last for fourth.

Manny Franco elected to take back favored GI Belmont S. hero and Kentucky Derby runner-up Tiz the Law (Constitution) off the early pace in third, but he offered no stretch rally and finished sixth.

The final time of 1:59.19 established a new track record for 1 1/4 miles, besting’s American Pharoah’s final clocking of 2:00.07 in his Classic victory five years earlier.

Authentic joins fellow Kentucky Derby winners Ferdinand, Alysheba, Sunday Silence, Unbridled, and the Baffert-trained American Pharoah to defeat their elders in the Classic. Baffert also won the Classic with fellow sophomores Bayern (2014) and Arrogate (2016).

“You know what, they were all training so well and he was training well,” Baffert said. “I think Johnny [Velazquez] got to know him a lot better and he’s just a quirky guy. But when I saw him out there, he’s catching up with these older horses. That’s what they do at this time of year, what a horse. He’s the real deal.”

A debut winner sprinting at Del Mar two days shy of a year ago, Authentic aired by 7 3/4 lengths in Santa Anita’s one-mile GIII Sham S. in early January. He was a powerful winner in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7, then suffered his first career defeat, finishing second to Honor A.P. (Honor Code) in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.

Saved by the wire in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 18, Authentic showed no signs of slowing down, turning back Belmont winner Tiz the Law at 8-1 in the postponed Derby. He lost little in defeat coming up a neck short of the brilliant filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GI Preakness S. last time Oct. 3.

“There were two races where he came back where he was really blowing hard,” Baffert said. “It was the Santa Anita Derby and the Preakness. So that means he probably, maybe I didn’t have him as sharp as I love and he just struggled that day. But we got him back and I’ve got a great team and we just tightened the screws on him. He’s maturing right now and this is, I won it with 3-year-olds, and because this is when, the time of the year they catch up. It was a tough field, but I just told Johnny, I said, ‘This is the horse that you rode in the Derby. You can ride him with confidence.’

Campaigned by a powerful partnership, Authentic carried the orange-and-purple silks of B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm LLC to victory in the Classic. MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing are also co-owners. Spendthrift also campaigned three-time Breeders’ Cup champion Beholder and Mile upsetter Court Vision.

“I’m just happy for Wayne Hughes and everybody,” Baffert said. “That was awesome.”

“Oh, man, it’s such, it’s in such an unbelievably surreal year,” Spendthrift’s Eric Gustavson said. “To say that the horse has brought us a lot of light and excitement and distraction is an understatement. To have the off date Kentucky Derby and then the back to normal Breeders’ Cup and to be able to win those both in one year and with a 3-year-old, man, it’s too much.”

B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift had purchased a majority interest in Authentic just days before the Santa Anita Derby from SF Racing, Fred Hertrich, John Fielding and Golconda Stables, and the colt’s number of owners grew exponentially when the Spendthrift-backed micro-share syndicate MyRacehorse bought in shortly after Authentic’s first defeat.

“Yeah, well, I mean, this has been quite the ride,” MyRacehorse’s Michael Behrens said. “It’s an amazing ride. I could never have imagined that it would end like this. I mean, this is the pinnacle of racing. And when we set out to do this a couple years ago the idea was to celebrate this sport with
as many people as possible, and to have 5,314 people to have an ownership stake in Authentic, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. And the partnership with Spendthrift and Eric and Mr. Hughes, it’s been tremendous having this opportunity.

“Wayne has given so much to the game over the years. He’s been in racing for 50 years and he bought Spendthrift in 2004 and made it into a business, and now to, with a lot of help from Johnny V. and Bob who are in the room here, to realize this dream, that sometimes it feels like you can only dream. It’s really not quite attainable, which is what makes it like so sweet, it’s unbelievable. But for Wayne, it’s everything,
for us, for the team at Spendthrift, that’s the best part, that Wayne has reached the top of the mountain here and we get to celebrate with him.”

Pedigree Notes:

As if Into Mischief wasn’t already having a year for the record books, Authentic put the cherry on top with a GI Breeders’ Cup Classic win to go along with his GI Kentucky Derby win. Currently the leading sire in North America, Into Mischief also bookended Breeders’ Cup Saturday, opening the World Championships with Gamine’s win in the GI Filly & Mare Sprint and closing with Authentic’s Classic. The Spendthrift sire has 27 black-type winners of 2020 to go along with his 81 stakes winners–33 graded–in nine crops to race.

Authentic’s dam, the Mr. Greeley mare Flawless, won once in her only two starts and was named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ off that performance. She has had six foals, with all three to race winners, while her 2-year-old colt, Mint (Bodemeister), is as of yet unraced. Flawless’s yearling colt is named Push Button (Bodemeister) and she has been bred back to Into Mischief for next term after not producing a foal in 2020.

Authentic’s broodmare sire, Mr. Greeley, died at age 18 in 2010, but continues to make an impact through his daughters. They have produced 79 black-type winners to date, including another Breeders’ Cup winner, Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor), who captured the GI Juvenile Fillies in 2013.

Interestingly, Authentic’s only inbreeding through five generations is to Icecapade through his sons Clever Trick on Into Mischief’s dam side and Wild Again on Flawless’s side, as he is the broodmare sire of her dam, Oyster Baby. A multiple graded stakes winner in his own right, Icecapade is probably best known for being the first foal out of 1975 Broodmare of the Year Shenanigans (Native Dancer), making him a half-brother to the incomparable Ruffian (Reviewer).

Quotes from the Also Rans:

“He just kind of let the other horse get away and nobody went with him. I don’t know what the pace was because they messed up the fractions. But they kind of walked the dog out there. But he ran his race. He was wide both turns but he was second best.” –Elliott Walden of WinStar Farm on Improbable

“This horse has been through a lot in his career. We got his foot problems behind him and today was the first time he was really able to show his potential. We are so proud of him and he ran a great race.” —Global Campaign’s trainer Stanley Hough

“It was a good trip. He was right there. We came to the stretch and the winner was rolling. It was very impressive. But, he tried. He ran a good race.” –Maximum Security’s jockey Luis Saez

“I was happy with the way he came into the race. I thought he would run his race but [jockey Manny Franco] said he was just too keen and didn’t run.” –Tiz the Law’s trainer Barclay Tagg

Saturday, Keeneland
LONGINES BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC-GI, $5,520,000, Keeneland, 11-7, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 1:59.19, ft.
1–AUTHENTIC, 122, c, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Flawless, by Mr. Greeley
                2nd Dam: Oyster Baby, by Wild Again
                3rd Dam: Really Fancy, by In Reality
($350,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC,
MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC & Starlight Racing;
B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John
Velazquez. $3,120,000. Lifetime Record: 8-6-2-0,
$6,191,200. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Improbable, 126, c, 4, City Zip–Rare Event, by A.P. Indy.
‘TDN Rising Star‘ ($110,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg ’17
KEESEP). O-WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. & SF Racing LLC; B-St.
George Farm LLC & G. Watts Humphrey Jr. (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$1,020,000.
3–Global Campaign, 126, c, 4, Curlin–Globe Trot, by A.P. Indy.
‘TDN Rising Star‘ ($250,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-Sagamore
Farm, LLC & WinStar Farm, LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Stanley M. Hough. $540,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1, 2. Odds: 4.20, 3.70, 25.20.
Also Ran: Tacitus, Maximum Security, Tiz the Law, Title Ready, By My Standards, Tom’s d’Etat, Higher Power. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Tarnawa Gives Weld First Cup Victory With Late-Running Turf Triumph

With jockey Christophe Soumillon taken off his second winning mount of the day after testing positive for COVID-19, substitute rider Colin Keane guided the 4-year-old Irish-bred Shamardal filly Tarnawa to a stretch-running victory over Magical, the 2-1 favorite, in Saturday's $4-million, Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The win gave globe-trotting Irish trainer Dermot Weld his first Breeders' Cup victory from his 17th starter. The Aga Khan homebred finished a length to the good of the 5-year-old Galileo mare Magical and jockey Ryan Moore, with pacesetter Channel Maker finishing third, another half-length back and 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Lord North. They were followed across the line by Mogul, Arklow, Mehdaayih, United, Red King and Donjah.

Time for 1 1/2 miles was 2:28.02 on firm turf after fractions of :25.57, :51.06, 1:15.99, 1:40.52 and 2:04.45.

Tarnawa, the third choice in the wagering, paid $11.40 to win.

This was the third victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf for the Aga Khan, having won the inaugural running in 1984 with Lashkari and again in 2000 with Kalanisi. Tarnawa, produced from the Cape Cross mare Tarana, is the fifth generation of mares bred by Aga Khan Studs.

Tarnawa is the third filly in the last six years to win the Turf, following in the footsteps of Found in 2015 at Keeneland and Enable in the 2018 running at Churchill Downs. Distaffers Pebbles in 1985 and MIss Alleged in 1991 were earlier winners.

Tarnawa, who was winning for the eighth time in 14 career starts, was coming off a neck victory over Alpine Star in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp on Oct. 4. Before that she won the Group 1 Prix Vermeille by three lengths at the Paris, France, track. She began her 2020 campaign with a victory in a Group contest in her native Ireland at Cork.

Soumillon rode Tarnawa to her two recent French victories but tested positive for COVID-19 upon his arrival in Kentucky. He lost the mount on Order of Australia in the G1 Mile for Aidan O'Brien and that horse was ridden to a 73-1 upset victory by Pierre Charles Boudot.

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Tarnawa Gives Legendary Weld a Maiden BC Win in the Turf

Trainer Dermot Weld, widely regarded as the pioneer of traveling horses, has accomplished most everything there is to accomplish in this business, winning the 1990 GI Belmont S. with Go and Go (Ire) (Be My Guest) and the G1 Melbourne Cup twice with Vintage Crop (Ire) (Rousillon, 1993) and Media Puzzle in 2002, to name just a few of his considerable achievements.

The latter was a son of Theatrical (Ire), trained by Weld for Bert and Diana Firestone to a runner-up effort in the 1985 G1 Irish Derby before finishing a low-odds 11th to Pebbles (GB) (Sharpen Up {GB}) in the second running of the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf at Aqueduct. Ironically, under the care of Bill Mott, Theatrical would go on to just miss to Manila (Lyphard) the following year at Santa Anita before going one better at Hollywood Park in 1987.

From the previous 35 runnings of the Breeders’ Cup, Weld had saddled 16 horses without a winner. But in the course of 150 seconds on a sunsplashed Central Kentucky Saturday, Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) put pay to that streak with a commanding defeat of the boys at Keeneland.

Last-out winner of the G1 Prix de l’Opera over easy ground at ParisLongchamp in early October, Tarnawa dropped out to near the tail of the field as Channel Maker (English Channel)–making his fourth appearance at the Breeders’ Cup–led the way early, as expected, from 2019 runner-up United (Giant’s Causeway). The Aga Khan homebred was ridden patiently by two-time champion Irish jockey Colin Keane–replacing the COVID-19-stricken Christophe Soumillon–as they passed halfway in a pedestrian 1:15.99, and still had only one beaten as the field hit the three-eighths marker, with Channel Maker still bossing things from the front.

The Ontario-bred increased his advantage when United appeared to take an awkward step at the 2 1/2-furlong pole and, given the pace dynamics to that point, appeared a serious threat to lead them all the way. But, leaving nothing to chance and knowing how much he had underneath him, Keane allowed Tarnawa to circle some seven or eight wide off the final turn and she stormed down the center of the course to score handily. Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Turf runner-up in an epic battle with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the bog at Churchill two years ago, raced in the second flight of horses, but was beaten to the punch by the winner and settled for a battling second. Channel Maker held admirably for third.

“It’s thrilling to win this race, it doesn’t really get any bigger,” the trainer’s son Mark commented. “It’s been a long time since 1990 when my father first won the Belmont with Go and Go and it’s kept going ever. Instructions-wise, we left it to Colin. He’s not champion Jockey of Ireland for nothing. He took over from the late great Pat Smullen, who we miss terribly here today and I really must mention him. I also must mention Christophe, who had done so brilliantly on her in Paris as well.”

A maiden from three starts at two, Tarnawa was three times a winner at group level last season while finishing 11th in the G1 Investec Oaks. Saved for a second-half campaign this term, she resumed from an October absence to defeat Cayenne Pepper (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G3 Give Thanks S. at Cork Aug. 8 and made her two most recent appearances at ParisLongchamp, carrying Soumillon to a victory in the G1 Prix Vermeille Sept. 1 and to a neck defeat of the talented Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Filly & Mare Turf heroine Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) when last seen in the Opera.

Tarnawa is the fourth runner to carry the Aga Khan green-and-red to victory in the Turf, joining inaugural winner Lashkari (GB) (Mill Reef); 1999 hero Daylami (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}, campaigned in partnership with Godolphin; and 2000 victor Kalanisi (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}). All were homebred winners.

Pedigree Notes:
Tarnawa–somewhat surprisingly–becomes the first Breeders’ Cup winner for her globally successful stallion (by Giant’s Causeway), who was euthanized at Darley’s Kildangan Stud this past April. Tarnawa’s dual stakes-winning dam was out of Irish highweight Tarakala, who won the Listed Galtres S. at York and was placed in the G3 Noblesse S. at Naas, each over 12 furlongs. One of 26 top-level, 77 graded/group and 150 overall black-type scorers for Shamardal, Tarnawa has an unraced 2-year-old half-brother named Tazaral (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and a weanling half-sister by Siyouni (Fr).

Saturday, Keeneland
LONGINES BREEDERS’ CUP TURF-GI, $3,680,000, Keeneland, 11-7, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:28.02, fm.
1–TARNAWA (IRE), 123, f, 4, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Tarana (Ire) (SW & GSP-Ire, $141,525), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tarakala (Ire), by Dr Fong
3rd Dam: Tarakana, by Shahrastani
O-HH Aga Khan; B-His Highness the Aga Khan’s Studs S.C. (IRE);
T-Dermot K. Weld; J-Colin Keane. $2,080,000. Lifetime Record:
MG1SW-Fr & MGSW-Ire, 14-8-2-2, $2,868,503. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Magical (Ire), 123, m, 5, Galileo (Ire) (Ire)–Halfway To Heaven
(Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier &
Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan
O’Brien. $680,000.
3–Channel Maker, 126, g, 6, English Channel–In Return, by
Horse Chestnut (SAf). ($57,000 RNA Ylg ’15 KEESEP).
O-Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable & Reeves
Thoroughbred Racing; B-Tall Oaks Farm (ON); T-William I.
Mott. $360,000.
Margins: 1, NO, 1 3/4. Odds: 4.70, 2.10, 9.10.
Also Ran: Lord North (Ire), Mogul (GB), Arklow, Mehdaayih (GB), United, Red King, Donjah (Ger). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Comeback Queen: Monomoy Girl Shines, Swiss Skydiver Struggles After Rough Start In Distaff

The much-anticipated match-up between fan favorites Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver saw the elder prevail in a decisive 1 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff. The win for 5-year-old Monomoy Girl capped an incredible 2020 season after an 18-month layoff due to colic surgery and a pulled muscle.

The race started poorly for 3-year-old Swiss Skydiver, who tripped leaving the starting gates under Robby Albarado and tucked in along the rail while Monomoy Girl sat off the early pace set by Lady Kate and Harvest Moon. Monomoy Girl made a four wide move going into the final turn while Swiss Skydiver hugged the rail and took advantage of an open space, bursting through while Monomoy Girl came charging on the outside. Swiss Skydiver weakened as Monomoy Girl strengthened with rider Florent Geroux, finding a new gear down to the finish and holding off late charges by Valiance and Dunbar Road, who finished second and third. Swiss Skydiver finished seventh.

“Honestly it's a relief,” said Cox. “She means the world to me and it's a lot of pressure when we run her, I don't know why. It just is. It's been a long road back. She's a real race horse. She's meant so much for so many people's lives, she's an amazing creature. I love her to pieces.

“Words can't even describe it. I think she plays a big role in our other three Breeders Cup victories over the weekend. She's meant so much to so many people's lives. She was my first Grade 1 winner here at Keeneland. I'm just so proud of her.”

The win is the fourth in this year's Breeders' Cup for trainer Brad Cox and the second for Geroux. Monomoy Girl's victory marks the fourth time in the race's history that a horse has won two editions of the Distaff.

“What a mare, just exceptional,” said Geroux. “She's a mare of a lifetime, very rare. It's like finding a diamond. When you have it, you do the best you can. It's a gift. Even after all she's been through, being off a year and a half, to come back and still be at the top of her game is unreal. I'm super thankful for the opportunity that Brad and the owners have given me.”

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:47.84 following fast fractions of :23.11, :46.03, 1:09.94 on a dirt track that has played to speed all day.

Monomoy Girl's record now includes 13 wins from 15 starts, including this year's G1 La Troienne and G2 Ruffian for a group of owners including Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables. She was bred in Kentucky by FPF LLC and Highfield Ranch and is the daughter of Tapizar and Henny Hughes mare Drumette. Monomoy Girl was sold as a yearling for $100,000 to BSW Bloodstock/Liz Crow at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale, where she was consigned by Gainesway.

Prior to her break, which took out her entire 4-year-old season, she won the 2018 Distaff as well as the G1 Cotillion, G1 Coaching Club American Oaks, G1 Acorn and the G1 Kentucky Oaks.

Monomoy Girl is scheduled to be sold on Nov. 8 at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale. Her ownership told NBC reporters they would meet after the race to determine next steps after her win, but anticipated she would still go through the auction ring.

Swiss Skydiver trainer Ken McPeek suggested that as long as the filly came out of the race well, she would likely come back for a 4-year-old campaign. McPeek cautioned he wanted to check her over, as he found her finish uncharacteristic, but as long as she comes away from the Distaff healthy, he would begin plotting for 2021.

“She stumbled a little bit leaving there,” said Alborado. “It maybe cost her a little length or two position-wise, but it didn't cost us the win. I had a great opportunity turning for home and get on through there and get heads-up with the champ, but she just didn't have it today.

“I'm disappointed that we didn't win, but I'm not disappointed in her. What she has done in her career, she has never let anybody down, she hasn't disappointed anybody. The way she ran in the Preakness, she doesn't have to validate herself from here on out. She's a special filly and everybody knows her. She gets a little time now and will come back next year stronger.”

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