Authentic gets historic BC Classic (G1) win

Authentic’s 2 1/4-length victory over Improbable in Saturday’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland was yet another highlight in an incredible year for Into Mischief.

Along with Gamine’s win earlier in the day in the Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), Into Mischief is now the sire of five Breeders’ Cup race winners, tying him with the likes of Danzig, Galileo, Kris S., Smart Strike and Tapit.

Authentic’s time of 1:59.19 for the 1 1/4-miles broke 2015 Classic winner American Pharaoh’s track record.

Authentic is surely to be named 3-year-old champion and Horse of the Year candidate with wins in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Haskell Inv. (G1), San Felipe S. (G2) and Sham S. (G3) prior to Saturday’s triumph.

Authentic came away very well from the gate from post 9 and took the lead almost immediately, with Maximum Security his closest pursuer. They stayed 1-2 for six furlongs, when Improbable took up the second spot. Improbable got within a length with a quarter mile to run, but Authentic re-broke in the stretch to complete his record-setting trip over his stablemate.

“You know what, they were all training so well and he was training well,” Baffert said of his three runners. “I think Johnny [Velazquez] got to know [Authentic] 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.”

Authentic’s group of owners include Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables and Starlight Racing. The 3-year-old colt is in 6-2-0 in eight starts and has earned $6,191,200.

“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.”

Authentic was bred by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds and sold for $350,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling sale. His dam Flawless has been bred back to Into Mischief for next term.