Spendthrift Farm-raced colt leads all the way to land Breeders' Cup Classic
Year-end honors for Champion 3-Year-Old and Horse of the Year were likely decided with one fell swoop when jockey John Velazquez rode Authentic (Into Mischief) to a decisive gate-to-wire score in Saturday's US$6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f) at Keeneland.
Authentic broke well from gate nine as the co-third favourite and was unchallenged as he went to the lead heading past the post for the first time.
While the rest of the field bunched up behind him, Authentic strolled through fractions of :23.20, :47.06, 1:10.84, and 1:35 flat for the opening mile.
The second favourite Improbable (City Zip) ranged up four-wide heading into the far turn and made a bid for the lead at the top of the stretch, but Authentic's unpressured early running meant he had more left in the tank.
Authentic became the first Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) winner to win the Classic since American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) won the race in 2015.
"It's incredible," said Velazquez, whose 18th career Breeders' Cup riding victory was his first in the Classic. "Thanks to God and the whole team. The older, I get the more emotional I get. It worked out perfect. He did everything I wanted him to do."
Improbable's failed bid still resulted in a strong runner-up effort over Global Campaign (Curlings), who dove to the rail in mid-stretch but failed to gain on the eventual winner.
Tacitus (Tapit) took fourth over Maximum Security (New Year's Day) and the 3/1 favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution) by a nose and a head, respectively.
"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 three-year-old, man, it's too much."
Authentic's win was a return to form after he finished second in the Preakness Stakes (Gr 1, 9f) last month and improved his record to six wins and two seconds in eight career starts. The Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) colt, purchased for US$350,000 as a yearling by SF Bloodstock / Starlight West, has now earned US$6,191,200 for co-owners Spendthrift Farm, MyRacehorse.com, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing.
"I'm just happy for Wayne Hughes (of Spendthrift) and everybody," said winning trainer Bob Baffert. "That was awesome."
Bred by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds, Authentic is out of the winning Mr Greeley (Gone West) mare Flawless who has produced two other winners. His third dam is Grade 3 winner Really Fancy (In Reality) with this being the family of Grade 1 winners Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown), Seventh Street (Street Cry) and American Gal (Concord Point).
Flawless was covered by Into Mischief again this year.
HE'S AUTHENTIC INDEED!
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 7, 2020
First the @KentuckyDerby, now the @BreedersCup Classic Authentic is a true winner! #BC20 | #BreedersCup pic.twitter.com/UvlE34dXlz
