Authentic (USA)
May 5, 2017 – Living
Into Mischief (USA) x Flawless (USA), by Mr. Greeley (USA)
Family 3-n
May 5, 2017 – Living
Into Mischief (USA) x Flawless (USA), by Mr. Greeley (USA)
Family 3-n
In a racing year turned topsy-turvy by the COVID-19 pandemic, Authentic provided a welcome element of consistency, winning five of his seven starts for the year and finishing second in the other two. Typically seizing control of his races early and forcing his rivals out of their own rhythms, he was showcased at his best in both the Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1), fighting off the challenge of Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Tiz the Law in the Derby and setting a new track record in the Classic. (Ironically, he was not favored in either race, though he started as favorite in all six of his other starts.) Authentic retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm following the Classic.
Race record
8 starts, 6 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$7,201,200
2020:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 126 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2020 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 4 pounds below overall highweight Ghaiyyath (who also topped the Intermediate category with 130 pounds) but tops among dirt runners worldwide, 1 pound above fellow sophomore Tiz the Law and 3 pounds above Improbable, the best older male on dirt.
As an individual
A handsome bay horse standing 16.2 hands, Authentic has the strong body typical of Into Mischief’s progeny and a strong, straight hind leg. His shoulder is well laid and he has a long, moderately sloped pelvis; his croup is sloping and he appears to stand slightly higher at the hip than at the withers. His racing action was fluid. He typically won his races by seizing the early lead and setting a strong pace from start to finish; he would respond gamely if challenged, but could lose mental focus in the stretch if cruising on an easy lead. Trainer Bob Baffert described his behavior as “quirky” although he also said that Authentic was eager to train and race.
As a stallion
Authentic entered stud in Kentucky in 2021 at Spendthrift Farm. His first foal was a colt out of Streak of Luck that arrived January 16, 2022, at Taylor Made Farm.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Authentic was bred by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds. A $350,000 yearling purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale on behalf of SF Racing and Starlight West, he was owned from June 2020 onward by Spendthrift Farm, MyRacehorse Stable (a microshare partnership headed by Michael Behrens), Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin and Jason Monteleone), and Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf, et al). Others who owned interests in Authentic at some point include Fred Hertrich III, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables. Authentic was trained by Bob Baffert and was ridden to his wins in the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic by John Velazquez. The horse entered stud at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky in 2021.
Pedigree notes
Foaled in Kentucky, Authentic is inbred 5x4 to the very fast Icecapade. He was produced from Peter Blum's homebred mare Flawless, who won her first start by over 13 lengths but bowed a tendon in her second start (in which she finished second), forcing her retirement. She is one of just three foals (and the only winner) produced from unraced Oyster Baby, by 1984 Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner and good sire Wild Again.
Oyster Baby is a half sister to Dixie Holiday (by Dixieland Band), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Holiday Runner (by Meadowlake), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Seventh Street and 2013 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner Reynaldothewizard, and third dam of 2017 Longines Test Stakes (USA-G1) winner American Gal and Grade 2 winner Lake Avenue. The sisters are out of 1985 Anoakia Stakes (USA-G3) winner Really Fancy (by In Reality), whose Grade 2-winning half sister Blushing Heiress (by Blushing John) is the dam of stakes winner Winsome (by War Chant). Produced from 1980 Hollywood Lassie Stakes (USA-G2) winner Native Fancy (by Our Native), Really Fancy is also a half sister to Fancy Sheba (by Alysheba), second dam of 2015 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Undrafted.
Books and media
A video celebration of Authentic's championship 2020 season can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM_dsHJb0yI.
Fun facts
Last updated: October 5, 2022
Race record
8 starts, 6 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$7,201,200
2020:
- Won Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Keeneland; new track record 1:59.60)
- Won Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won TVG.com Haskell Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
- Won San Felipe Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Sham Stakes (USA-G3, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions (2021)
- Eclipse Award, American Horse of the Year (2020)
- Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (2020)
Assessments
Rated at 126 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2020 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 4 pounds below overall highweight Ghaiyyath (who also topped the Intermediate category with 130 pounds) but tops among dirt runners worldwide, 1 pound above fellow sophomore Tiz the Law and 3 pounds above Improbable, the best older male on dirt.
As an individual
A handsome bay horse standing 16.2 hands, Authentic has the strong body typical of Into Mischief’s progeny and a strong, straight hind leg. His shoulder is well laid and he has a long, moderately sloped pelvis; his croup is sloping and he appears to stand slightly higher at the hip than at the withers. His racing action was fluid. He typically won his races by seizing the early lead and setting a strong pace from start to finish; he would respond gamely if challenged, but could lose mental focus in the stretch if cruising on an easy lead. Trainer Bob Baffert described his behavior as “quirky” although he also said that Authentic was eager to train and race.
As a stallion
Authentic entered stud in Kentucky in 2021 at Spendthrift Farm. His first foal was a colt out of Streak of Luck that arrived January 16, 2022, at Taylor Made Farm.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Authentic was bred by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds. A $350,000 yearling purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale on behalf of SF Racing and Starlight West, he was owned from June 2020 onward by Spendthrift Farm, MyRacehorse Stable (a microshare partnership headed by Michael Behrens), Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin and Jason Monteleone), and Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf, et al). Others who owned interests in Authentic at some point include Fred Hertrich III, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables. Authentic was trained by Bob Baffert and was ridden to his wins in the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic by John Velazquez. The horse entered stud at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky in 2021.
Pedigree notes
Foaled in Kentucky, Authentic is inbred 5x4 to the very fast Icecapade. He was produced from Peter Blum's homebred mare Flawless, who won her first start by over 13 lengths but bowed a tendon in her second start (in which she finished second), forcing her retirement. She is one of just three foals (and the only winner) produced from unraced Oyster Baby, by 1984 Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner and good sire Wild Again.
Oyster Baby is a half sister to Dixie Holiday (by Dixieland Band), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Holiday Runner (by Meadowlake), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Seventh Street and 2013 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner Reynaldothewizard, and third dam of 2017 Longines Test Stakes (USA-G1) winner American Gal and Grade 2 winner Lake Avenue. The sisters are out of 1985 Anoakia Stakes (USA-G3) winner Really Fancy (by In Reality), whose Grade 2-winning half sister Blushing Heiress (by Blushing John) is the dam of stakes winner Winsome (by War Chant). Produced from 1980 Hollywood Lassie Stakes (USA-G2) winner Native Fancy (by Our Native), Really Fancy is also a half sister to Fancy Sheba (by Alysheba), second dam of 2015 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Undrafted.
Books and media
A video celebration of Authentic's championship 2020 season can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM_dsHJb0yI.
Fun facts
- Authentic was the first horse to go wire-to-wire in the Kentucky Derby since War Emblem in 2002.
- Authentic’s Kentucky Derby was the first not staged on the first Saturday in May since wartime restrictions pushed the race to June in 1945. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Kentucky Derby was moved to September 5.
- Authentic is the fourth horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the same year, following in the hoof prints of Sunday Silence (1989), Unbridled (1990), and American Pharoah (2015).
- Authentic’s Kentucky Derby win tied Bob Baffert with the legendary Ben Jones as the leading Derby-winning trainer of all time with six victors. Baffer’s other winners were Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018). Baffert added an apparent seventh winner with Medina Spirit in 2021, but the victory was taken away via disqualification after the colt tested positive for the cortcosteroid bethmethasone.
- Authentic was the fourth American Horse of the Year trained by Baffert, following Point Given (2001), American Pharoah (2015), and Justify (2018).
- Authentic won the 2020 Secretariat Vox Populi Award, an honor given by popular vote to the horse considered to have done the most in appealing to the public and generating positive recognition for the sport of horse racing.
- Authentic is the first American champion or Classic winner to be owned or co-owned by a microshare partnership, in which would-be racehorse owners can own a tiny share of a racehorse for a price of a few hundred dollars or less. In Authentic’s case, the MyRacehorse partnership bought a 12.5 percent interest in Authentic in June 2020 and sold shares for $206 each to 5,314 investors.
Last updated: October 5, 2022