Authentic (inside) with Mike Smith on top, he resisted the challenge of Ny Traffic and Paco López to win the $ 1,000,000 Haskell Grade 1 bets at Monmouth Park
Coach Bob Baffert won a record ninth time, but Authentic’s Grade 1 victory on Saturday, TVG.com’s $ 1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ, was not as easy as his odds might have suggested. 3-5.
Quickly breaking from No. 2 under Mike Smith, Into Mischief’s 3-year-old foal controlled the pace over 1 1/8 miles, opened what seemed like an insurmountable lead within the eighth pole, and barely lasted when Ny Traffic came charging in the last desperate steps but fell short. Dr. Post, the second bet option at 9-5, was never a factor and finished 4 1/2 lengths in the third. Jesus’ team was fourth on the field of seven.
The time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1: 50.45 on a fast track.
“I was sure he had it, 100 percent,” said Ny Traffic pilot Paco Lopez. “I can not believe it. I’m surprised we haven’t won. I really thought we have it. “
“I thought it was in front of the cable, but I took it all the way and forgot where the cable was,” Smith said. “I kept riding on him. Paco López went to celebrate and I thought: “Did he catch me?” I thought I could hold on. We were lucky to hold on. ”
The victory was worth $ 600,000 for Authentic, raised in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds and owned by Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stable and Starlight Racing. The top four finishers received 100-40-20-10 qualification points for the Kentucky Derby and Authentic earned a paid spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic as a win and you’re in the Breeders Cup Challenge Challenge Series race.
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“I am very proud of him,” Baffert said from his California home, “but I was just like everyone else saying to Mike (Smith): ‘You better stay after him. You better keep yourself busy. He (authentic) looks everything, as we have seen in his past races. I realized that he was not concentrating down the section, but he held on. He saw the horse approaching him and left again.
“Jimmy (assistant coach Barnes) said he came back not so tired. We are learning about the horse. However, it might need a little flashing light. I was playing on the stretch. He had told Mike that he had to stay behind him and keep him busy. I realized I wasn’t leaving him. He was playing there and that horse came to him and kept him moving. But when he came out (with an easy lead) alone, I thought he was sure he would continue. But he ran a great race. “
Authentic broke down smoothly and headed immediately to the front, with Ny Traffic, third choice at 5-1, deviating slightly from his outside post and then rushing to try to engage Authentic up front. Tracked at all times by Ny Traffic, the authentic set fractions of: 23.60 ,: 47.52, and 1: 11.50 for the first six stadiums and when it reached the long pole – one mile at 1: 37.22 – gained a 2 1/2 lead . Smith was only driving by hand at this point, but went to a repeated right post when Ny Traffic began to gain ground.
“He is a colt with a lot of talent,” said Smith. “Skill is something that is not lacking. He has a lot of it. But what he lacks at the moment, he is learning. He is growing. He sees things. In the back, if you have a chance to look at the head, there are a lot of shadows from the sun at this point. He looked at each of them and did not allow me to bring him closer to the fence because he was looking at them too much.
“Then he pulled away like he wanted her to go home. Once the horse started to get closer to him, I wanted to get a little into it just to get it going. If I was going to start playing again, I thought, “I better stay riding and hope I can hold on at that point,” which he did. I rode him way beyond the wire just to show him to keep running. He didn’t want to think it was all over when he hit the wire.
“Once the horse was at his side, he galloped out and back to the bridle.”
Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes said: “It’s a great step to get him on a plane and travel that far.” As Mike (Smith) said he is still learning with each and every race. He handled the paddock well, he handled the post parade, all well and broke well. As Mike said he was a little quirky on the race track looking at a few things. There is room for many improvements there. I was standing on the wire, I knew we won. That was not a concern. I immediately noticed Mike lead him past the cable to the next pole. That is good judgment on your part.
“It was a race where it seemed like this horse was going to adapt to this race track. We like to bring a good horse here. It is one of our favorite places of the year. “
Saffie Joseph Jr., Ny Traffic coach said: “I thought he ran well. Upon reaching this career he lost a job and I was a little worried: did we have enough? In the pole room you could see that Authentic was crossing and my horse was out of the bridle. To dig and dig deep you can’t be more proud of that. I was pretty sure we lost when I first saw it. We were a head in front just after the bob on the wire. I just want to move on. That is the important thing. Hopefully everything goes well for the Kentucky Derby and that we are living the dream. ”
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