Authentic caps off strong year
Keeping an eye on the world sports during the pandemic:
Authentic won the Bree ers’ Cup Classic, going wir to-wire for a 2 1⁄4- length v tory over Improbable that ga trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 fini Saturday at Keeneland.
The Kentucky Derby cham pion and Preakness runner-u broke out of the gate quick and set the pace for others follow. Stablemate Maximu Security pursued for a wh before Global Security ove took him and then was pass by Improbable entering t stretch. Authentic, at 9-2, n ver let up with John Velazqu aboard and extended his le by the end.
Authentic, above, earned h fifth win in seven starts th year and made a strong case the year’s top 3-year-old. It al bookended a successful day f Baffert, whose filly Gami opened the $31 million seaso ending world championshi with a dominant, record-se ting victory in the $1 milli Filly and Mare Sprint.
Authentic’s winning time the $6 million race over 1 miles wasn’t immediate available because of a techn cal glitch.
Authentic paid $10.4 $5.40 and $4.20.
Improbable returned $4. and $3.30 while Global Cam paign paid $8.80.
Just before that, even-mo ey favorite Monomoy G blew by the leaders around t final turn and held off challenge by 14-1 shot Valian to win the 1 1⁄8- mile Distaff f the top fillies and mares years old and up.
The star 5-year-old won f the 13th time in 15th rac giving trainer Brad Cox h fourth win at this Breede Cup to tie the record.
The Distaff was among t notable races leading up to t $6 million Breeders’ Cup Cla sic at the season-ending cham pionships. Monomoy Gir second Cup win in three yea followed a big upset in t Mile by Order of Australia.
The 73-1 longshot, in t race following a scratch an with a substitute rider aboar won the $2 million race by neck over Circus Maximus.
The Irish-bred colt enter the 15-horse field after O Master was scratched.