After Breeders’ Cup Classic Win, Authentic Rides Off to Retirement

After watching his gate-to-wire victory in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, it took Authentic’s owners barely 24 hours to retire the three-time Grade 1 winner at the end of his 3-year-old season.

The Kentucky Derby champion heads to Spendthrift Farm, the large Kentucky breeding farm and majority owner of Authentic. He will open the 2021 breeding season standing for $75,000 next to his sire, Into Mischief, currently the world’s most in-demand stallion.

Authentic retires as Into Mischief’s most decorated progeny to date. He rides to Spendthrift with $6,191,200 in earnings from his eight races. The Bob Baffert charge found the winner’s circle in six of those eight contests. Five of his wins came in graded stakes, and three of those were Grade 1s: the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth, the Derby, and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

His 2 ¼-length Breeders’ Cup Classic victory came in a track-record 1:59.19 for the 1 ¼ miles. It was the fastest Classic time since Ghostzapper’s 1:59.02 in 2004. Authentic was 5-for-7 in 2020, adding victories in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes and Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes.

Father and Son Stand Together at Stud

“Ultimately, we just felt there wasn’t a lot more to accomplish for a Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, so we have made the decision to retire Authentic to stand alongside his champion sire Into Mischief,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift Farm’s general manager in a release.

Authentic’s only losses came in the Santa Anita Derby to Honor A.P. and at last month’s Preakness Stakes. There, Swiss Skydiver nipped him by a nose at the wire. On Monday, Swiss Skydiver’s connections announced she’d return for her 4-year-old campaign.

“The decision to retire a horse of Authentic’s caliber is never an easy decision, but we are confident that this represents the best interests of MyRacehorse’s 5,314 owners and Spendthrift Farm,” read a statement sent to the MyRacehorse microshare owners of Authentic. “The ultimate goal in racing is to have a horse that achieves a level of success on the racetrack that affords him the opportunity to stand at a historic stallion farm, with the potential to shape future generations of the breed through his progeny. Authentic has now earned that.”

More Than 5,000 Owners Claim Piece of Authentic

MyRacehorse bought 12.5% of Authentic last spring. The company, which promotes small ownership in racehorses, sold shares for $206 each. Owners include Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, who was in the Keeneland winner’s circle Saturday, and several NASCAR drivers.

“Sharing the excitement and competing at the highest level against the best horses in the world is the charter of MyRacehorse,” MyRacehorse founder and CEO Michael Behrens said. “To see the passion of our owners throughout this remarkable journey has confirmed our belief that Thoroughbred racing is the greatest sport in the world and best when shared amongst thousands of people across all walks of life.”