Photo: Bill Denver / EQUI-PHOTO
Authentic he looked down on Saturday for an easy win at Monmouth Park’s Grade 1, $ 1 million Haskell Stakes. Bob Baffert’s apprentice got that win, but just barely.
Ny Traffic He uncorked a snap on the last furlong, drawing from four lengths behind to the inside of a nose. A photographic finish showed that Authentic crossed the cable first on the 1 1/8-mile Haskell.
WHAT A FINISH!
Authentic wins the Haskell in an incredible way ?? @ BreedersCup | #WinAndYoureIN pic.twitter.com/aTzl6Vsdrq
– NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 18, 2020
“He is an extremely talented horse, he is very talented,” said winning jockey Mike Smith. “But he still has something to do.”
Authentic, who broke badly when he suffered his first career loss on June 6 in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), had no problems with Saturday under Smith. The 3-5 favorite set fractions of: 23.60 ,: 47.52 and 1: 11.50.
Ny Traffic chased Authentic closely before yielding ground on the stretch. Saffie Joseph Jr.’s apprentice then bravely defended himself under rider Paco López, but ran out of space.
“I am very proud of him,” Baffert told NBC in a video call from his base in California. “He was like everyone else, like I say to Mike, ‘You better stay after him. You have to keep him busy because he looks at everything. …
“I realized that I was not concentrating down the stretch, but he held on. When he saw a horse coming towards him, he left again.
Authentic covered all nine furlongs in 1: 50.45 and returned $ 3.20. Belmont Stakes Runner-Up Dr. Post He finished third behind Authentic and Ny Traffic.
With Haskell’s victory, Authentic earned 100 points towards the 2020 Kentucky Derby and secured a place in “Win and You’re in” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Kentucky-raised foal Into Mischief improved to 5: 4-1-0 for life for owners Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing.
Authentic has already entered the day with 100 Road to the Kentucky Derby points thanks to victories in Sham Stakes (G3) and San Felipe Stakes (G2) and its finalist in the Santa Anita Derby. He now has 200 points and is second in the standings for the Kentucky Derby on September 5, just behind Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law (272).
On the Breeders’ Cup front, Authentic is the third horse to win a Classic Challenge Challenge Series race, joining Japanese racer Mozu Ascot and Stephen Foster (G2) winner Tom’s d’Etat.
