Through all the shadows of controversy and the challenges of the pandemic, Authentic made a clear case for Horse of the Year honors in this Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic. The 3-year-old son of Into Mischief flew out of the gate and led the field all the way around the Keeneland oval to win the $6 million event by 2 1/4 lengths, delivering another major victory to his thousands of owners. The race had to be hand-timed when timers malfunctioned, but was later reported as another track record: 1:59.19.
That time bests the track record set by Triple Crown champion American Pharoah in the 2015 Classic of 2:00.07.
Fans may not have been able to attend this year's Breeders' Cup, but there was plenty of cheering from those on hand when Authentic crossed the wire in front.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was especially thrilled to see Authentic avenge his last-out defeat in the Preakness, when the filly Swiss Skydiver bested him by a neck. It was Baffert's second Breeders' Cup win on the card, following Gamine in the Filly & Mare Sprint, his fourth Classic win (all with 3-year-olds), and his 17th overall Breeders' Cup victory. The trainer also saddled runner-up Improbable and fifth-place finisher Maximum Security in this year's Classic.
“I tell you what, I needed that, didn't I?” Baffert quipped. “We really were disappointed after the Preakness; I was sort of surprised. He's a quirky horse, but Johnny really knows him well. He's just getting better and better. I'm so happy for the connections, MyRacehorse, and especially Wayne Hughes.”
It was also the second Breeders' Cup win on the day for Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez (Gamine), whose total now stands at 18. Velazquez was grateful to celebrate his first victory in the Classic victory.
“The older I get the more emotional I get,” Velazquez said. “It worked out perfect. Bob said to take him to the lead so he doesn't wander so much and keep his mind on running. It worked out. He did everything I wanted him to do.”
Majority owner B. Wayne Hughes of Spendthrift Farm was in attendance at the Breeders' Cup, though he'd missed the colt's triumph in the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.
“It's been such an unbelievably surreal year,” said Spendthrift president Eric Gustavson. “To say that the horse has brought us a lot of light 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.”
Authentic is co-owned by Starlight Racing Stable (Jack Wolf, et. al.), Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin and J. Monteleone), and approximately 5,314 individuals who bought microshares via the upstart ownership group My Racehorse launched by Michael Behrens.
“It's an amazing ride,” Behrens said. “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. And I just, I really can't believe this happened. I mean, I love racing and I want more and more people to be able to experience this and to have this happen? I don't know, it's crazy.”
Authentic was bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, and is out of the winning Mr. Greeley mare Flawless. He commanded a final bid of $350,000 at the Keeneland September sale, and has now won six of his eight lifetime starts for earnings of $6,371,200.
Leaving from post nine in the 10-horse Classic field, Authentic burst from the gate and went straight to the lead. Velazquez got him clear of his rivals and made his way to the rail, then took a nice hold with a easy two-length lead. Maximum Security was up on his outside in second while Global Campaign, Tiz the Law, and By My Standards were up close as well. Improbable was sixth in the early going.
“I didn't think there was too much speed in the race, and once I got him running past the wire for the first time, he was looking good for it,” Velazquez said.
Authentic continued to carry his speed all the way around the course, never looking in danger through the stretch and hitting the wire 2 1/4 lengths the best. Improbable checked in second after coming from further off the pace, a length better than Global Campaign on the wire. Tacitus was fourth, and Maximum Security finished fifth.
The remaining order of finish was: Tiz the Law, Title Ready, By My Standards, Tom's d'Etat, and Higher Power.
Other connections had the following comments after the race:
Second-place jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Improbable) – “I had a good trip, a perfect trip. I had him in the clear. He just got beat. It was a great race.”
Second-place co-owner Elliott Walden of WinStar Farm (Improbable) – “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.”
Third-place trainer Stanley Hough (Global Campaign) – “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.”
Third-place jockey Javier Castellano (Global Campaign) – “I had a beautiful trip, that's what I was looking for today. I knew there was a lot of speed in the race, but I had to play a little bit to get him to move forward. With this horse I didn't want to be too far back. I thought he ran a good race and I'm satisfied with how he did today. I was happy where I was positioned because they were going pretty quick. Maximum Security is the kind of horse that wants to set the pace. Our horse is a pace-maker too, but the other horses had more speed than my horse. We had a good early position and I'm very satisfied with how he did.”
Fourth-place trainer Bill Mott (Tacitus) – “He ran well. The trip was good. He saved ground around both turns and look like he needed a little room in the stretch. He ran a big race.”
Fourth-place jockey Jose Ortiz (Tacitus) – “He ran well. He sat back today. Relaxed well. I was hoping for a hot pace. I didn't see the fractions, but it didn't feel like it was very hot. So it took the chances away from me. I was expecting a hot pace and to pick up the pieces and close and have a shot to win the race. I was expecting a fast fight. It didn't happen that way but he ran really, really good. He improved a lot from the last two.”
Fifth-place jockey Luis Saez (Maximum Security) – “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.”
Sixth-place trainer Barclay Tagg (Tiz the Law) – “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.”
Sixth-place jockey Manny Franco (Tiz the Law) – “I had an OK trip. I was down inside. My horse never settled for me. He was pulling me the whole way hard. When I sent to looking for him he was done.
(Were you trapped inside?): “I was inside looking for a way to get out to a clear run. I had wait longer than I wanted to. It is what it is.”
Eighth-place trainer Bret Calhoun (By My Standards) – “I thought Gabe (Saez) had him in a great spot early on. Broke sharp, got in a good spot. I thought everything looked pretty good and like Gabe wanted to start picking them up and from the outside they started moving and kind of held him down there. He wasn't able to continue his move picking up horses and kind of had to wait a little longer until they cleared him. I think once he tried to go again, they just smoothed out and out-stepped him there. That next move, they just outstepped him. I don't know if he got a little discouraged having to wait or he lost a little momentum. He got outkicked from there, it looked like.”
“The track (playing to speed), and I didn't want to do anything different and change anything up. We're not that fast to change things up. You can't run with those horses early. It shows what good a race Whitmore ran (in closing to win the Sprint).”
Eighth-place jockey Gabe Saez (By My Standards) – “What can I say? The horses didn't come back. Speed-biased all day long. I got him into a great spot right from the beginning. I was in a great position tracking off the pace. Running around the three-eighths pole, and they weren't stopping. He ran every step of the way. I got a little bounced around the five-sixteenths pole. Franco's horse (Manny Franco, Tiz the Law) kind of came out a little bit, but I was not going to get there today. They were running.”
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