With an impressive front-running victory in the $6,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Authentic became the seventh consecutive Kentucky-bred to win the Classic and the 26th overall in the 37 runnings of the race, and the brilliant Monomoy Girl became a two-time winner of the $2,000,000 Distaff (G1) as Kentucky-breds won seven Breeders’ Cup races over the two-day championship event.
This year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, Authentic captured the Classic in the same manner he won the Derby—going to the front early and never looking back. With John Velazquez in the irons, Authentic fended of all challengers in the stretch and defeated stablemate Improbable by 2 ¼ lengths, topping a Kentucky-bred sweep of the top three placings as Global Campaign finished third.
“You know what, they were all training so well and he was training well,” said Baffert. “I think Johnny (Velazquez) got to know him a lot better and he’s just a quirky guy. But when I saw him out there, he’s catching up with these older horses. That’s what they do at this time of year, what a horse. He’s the real deal. I’m just happy for Wayne Hughes and everybody. That was awesome.”
Now a three-time Grade 1 winner, Authentic is a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief out of the Mr. Greeley mare Flawless. Campaigned by Spendthrift Farm, My RaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stable, and Starlight Racing, Authentic was bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds. The Classic victory was worth $3,300,000 and boosted Authentic’s earnings to $6,371,200 and improved his record to 8-6-2-0.
Monomoy Girl won the $2,000,000 Distaff (G1) for the second time in her sensational career, proving best in the 1 1/8-mile test. The 2018 Distaff winner, Monomoy Girl put away a competitive field to secure her second Distaff crown for owners Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.
With regular pilot Florent Geroux aboard, Monomoy Girl overcame a wide journey. She took command traveling three deep around the far turn and held off all challengers in deep stretch to win by 1 ¾ lengths to notch her seventh Grade 1 victory. The win improved her record to 15-13-2-0 and the winner’s share of $1,100,000 boosted her earnings to $4,486,818. She became just the fourth mare in history to win the Distaff twice, joining Beholder, Royal Delta, and Bayakoa (ARG).
“What a mare, just exceptional,” said Geroux. “She’s a mare of a lifetime, very rare. It’s like finding a diamond. When you have it, you do the best you can. It’s a gift.”
Trained by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl is by Tapizar out of the Henny Hughes mare Drumette and she was bred in Kentucky by FPF LLC and Highfield Ranch.
Veteran campaigner and multi-millionaire Whitmore showed there is plenty of life left in his 7-year-old legs, winning the $2,000,000 Sprint (G1) in his fourth consecutive appearance in the race for trainer Ron Moquett. With a heads-up ride by Irad Ortiz Jr., Whitmore hugged the rail around the far turn, split rivals at the head of the lane and bounded clear late to score by 3 ¼ lengths. He got the six furlongs in 1:08.61.
Whitmore finished third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) and earlier this year won back-to-back stakes, taking the Hot Springs S. and the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3), both at Oaklawn Park. The victory was worth $1,100,000 and boosted his earnings to $4,307,850 with a record of 38-15-11-3
Owned by Robert LaPenta, Ron Moquett, Southern Springs Stables, and Head of Plains Partners, Whitmore was bred in Kentucky by John Liviakis. The 7-year-old gelding is by Pleasantly Perfect out of the Scat Daddy mare Melody’s Spirit.
In another sensational performance, the highly regarded Gamine ran her rivals off their feet, setting a new track record in taking down top prize in the $1,000,000 Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).
With Velazquez riding for owner Michael Lund Petersen and trainer Bob Baffert, Gamine broke sharply and tracked Serengeti Empress through blistering early fractions of :21.77 and :44.27. She collared the pacesetter in the lane and accelerated away powerfully to win the seven-furlong event by 6 ¼ lengths, stopping the timer in new track-record time of 1:20.20. The final clocking shattered the previous mark of 1:21.32 established by Taris in 2014.
“She is doing as well as she did when she won the Acorn,” Baffert said. “She is just brilliant. She is the fastest filly going one turn I’ve ever trained.”
It was the third Grade 1 win for Gamine who won the Acorn S. (G1) by 18 ¾ lengths in June at Belmont Park and returned to win the Test S. (G1) at Saratoga by seven lengths. In her previous start, Gamine finished third as the favorite in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief—Peggy Jane, by Kafwain, was bred in Kentucky by Grace Thoroughbred Holdings and is a $1,800,000 sale graduate of the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale.
On the Breeders’ Cup undercard, Kentucky-bred Nashville set a new Keeneland track record, scorching six furlongs in 1:07.89 in winning the $125,000 Perryville S. for owners WinStar Farm and China Horse Club. The 3-year-old son of Speightstown is undefeated in three lifetime starts and was bred by Breffni Farm.