Baffert’s horses dominate at Breeders’ Cup Classic

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Authentic won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, going wire-to-wire for a 2¼-length victory over Improbable that gave trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 finish Saturday at Keeneland.

The Kentucky Derby champion and Preakness runner-up broke out of the gate quickly and set the pace. Stablemate Maximum Security pursued for a while before Global Security overtook him and then was passed by Improbable entering the stretch. Authentic, at 9-2, never let up with John Velazquez aboard and extended his lead by the end.

Authentic earned his fifth win in seven starts this year and made a strong case as the year’s top 3-year-old. It also bookended a successful day for Baffert, whose filly Gamine opened the $31 million season-ending world championships with a dominant, record-setting

victory in the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint.

Authentic covered 1¼ miles in 1:59.19 in the $6 million marquee event and paid $10.40, $5.40 and $4.20.

Improbable returned $4.80 and $3.30, while Global Campaign paid $8.80.

Just before that, even-money favorite Monomoy Girl blew by the leaders around the final turn and held off a challenge by 14-1 shot Valiance to win the 1⅛-mile Distaff for the top fillies and mares 3 years old and up.

The star 5-year-old won for the 13th time in 15th races, giving trainer Brad Cox his fourth win at this Breeders’ Cup to tie the record.

“I thought she was better than she’d ever been coming into this, I really, really did, and I think she proved that,” Cox said. “Just a tremendous filly. She’s a champion.”

Monomoy Girl won in 1:47.84, paying $4.00 to win, $3.00 to place and $2.40 to show. Valiance was second and Dunbar Road third.

Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver didn’t finish in the top three after stumbling out of the starting gate. Trainer Kenny McPeek chose to run Swiss Skydiver against older fillies and mares in the Distaff rather than going against the colts in the Classic and knew this was still a possibility.

“She’s got a ladder to climb against older fillies and mares,” McPeek said. “Monomoy Girl’s a great filly. She deserves Hall of Fame status.”

This is likely Monomoy Girl’s last race before she becomes a broodmare.

The Distaff was among the notable races leading up to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at the season-ending championships. Monomoy Girl’s second Cup win in three years followed a big upset in the Mile by Order of Australia.

The 73-1 longshot, in the race following a scratch and with a substitute rider aboard, won the $2 million race by a neck over Circus Maximus.

The Irish-bred colt entered the 15-horse field after One Master was scratched. Jockey Pierre Charles Boudot was riding in place of Christophe Soumillon, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Order of Australia started from the far post and quickly moved into contention before running second entering the stretch. He overtook Halladay and held off charging Circus Maximus for the win, with Lope Y Fernandez third to complete a 1-2-3 sweep of entries for trainer Aiden O’Brien.