LEXINGTON, Ky. — Authentic has 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 for others to follow. 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.