The horses were loading into the starting gate for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic as the sun started to set in Lexington, Kentucky, Saturday. The Keeneland Race Course was running like a conveyor belt, with front runners and pace pressers winning races over the main dirt track.
When Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (4/1) went to the lead in the 1 1/4 mile Classic and reached the mile marker around the far turn, it looked like we could have a special stretch duel developing. Longshot Global Campaign (25/1) was applying pressure, Improbable (7/2) was making his move and both Maximum Security (4/1) and race favorite Tiz the Law (3/1) were still within striking distance.
But just as he did in winning the Derby, Authentic never let up. Improbable could not catch the newly-crowned horse of the year, and Authentic won in a track record time of 1:59.19.
Tiz the Law, winner of the Belmont Stakes in June and runner-up to Authentic in the Kentucky Derby, was a a non-factor and never threatened to finish sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
TRAINER BOB BAFFERT WINS FOURTH BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC
Trainer Bob Baffert picked up his 17th Breeders’ Cup victory and his fourth in the Classic. Authentic’s jockey, John Velazquez, claimed his 18th Breeders’ Cup victory but his first in the Classic. Baffert raved about his star Thoroughbred, Authentic, following the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“He won the Kentucky Derby, the grand jewel of them all, and then beats one of the toughest, deepest Breeders’ Cup fields that I’ve ever been in,” Baffert said after Authentic arrived at Spendthrift Farm Monday morning. “There is really not a whole lot more that a horse can accomplish. I think he’s proven he is the best of his class, he was the best of the year.”
On Tuesday, Authentic topped the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred poll. The order of finish was:
Authentic, Improbable, Monomoy Girl, Vekoma, Swiss Skydiver, Tiz the Law, Gamine, Rushing Fall, Whitmore, Maximum Security.
Authentic was also No. 1 on the NTRA’s Top Three-Year-Old poll. The finishers, in order, were:
Authentic, Tiz the Law, Swiss Skydiver, Gamine, Happy Saver, Honor A.P., Shedaresthedevil, Art Collector, Jesus’ Team, Max Player.
AUTHENTIC IS A CLASSIC RACEHORSE
Authentic’s Breeders’ Cup Classic win was shared with 5,314 owners who purchased micro shares through myracehorse.com. Last year, MyRaceHorse officially went “live” and the reaction was overwhelming. Members of the public are able to purchase, or more accurately, afford a stake in a racehorse.
My Race Horse investors won big when Authentic captured the Kentucky Derby in September. For their $206 investment and one of 12,500 shares, they are enjoying the awesome ride and investment in Authentic following his 2020 Breeders’ Cup Classic win.