What we learned: Authentic enjoys easy trip in Classic victory

After securing the lead more easily than expected, Authentic predictably took advantage of the easy pace scenario to capture the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Saturday. With the victory, he clinches the 3-year-old Eclipse Award and vaults to the front of the Horse of the Year discussion. Authentic also pushes his sparkling record to 8: 6-2-0.

A few breaks went in Authentic’s favor at the start.

Authentic broke clean, as did Maximum Security next to him in Post 10. But Luis Saez on Maximum Security gave Authentic space heading into the turn. As those two came over, Javier Castellano on Global Campaign chose not to send. Also, Tiz the Law outbroke the field, but Manny Franco did not urge him either.

Given those factors, Authentic took control of the lead. Watch Authentic cross over to secure the front and create a 1 1/2-length cushion.

Unfortunately, the Equibase chart shows no fractions.

As Authentic led, Maximum Security continued to leave his stablemate with a generous one-length advantage. Tiz the Law ate dirt on the inside in third. Global Campaign rated in fourth and slightly wide. Improbable ran outside of Global Campaign, and By My Standards was in the middle at the back end of the leading group.

Approaching the turn, Castellano let Global Campaign out a notch, and Improbable followed his move. Global Campaign did reach the tail end of Authentic before his run began to stall. In contrast, Improbable stayed within range of Authentic into the stretch, with a chance to win.

Authentic kept finding more, though, and held his stablemate at bay. In fact, Authentic dug in and opened up slightly again in mid-stretch.

Authentic eventually won by 2 1/4 lengths.

Improbable ran a game second and loses nothing in defeat. With the runner-up finish and previous Grade 1 wins, he secures the older horse Eclipse Award honor.

Global Campaign was a fading third. Perhaps not trying for the lead and avoiding an early duel resulted in him hitting the board, but it made for a less interesting race.

Tacitus went back to conservative tactics and made a decent rally for fourth, nosing out Maximum Security to his inside and Tiz the Law on his outside. The race did not set up for a deep closer this time, but it is likely his preferred strategy.

Maximum Security does not run the same way under Bob Baffert, ironically, although letting Authentic coast along on an easy lead did not help matters. Running against horses other than Midcourt and Sharp Samurai exposed him.

Tiz the Law deserves another chance from racing fans and bettors. His two worst finishes came after traveling along the inside in the pocket. Running on a wet track in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last fall probably was not as significant as eating dirt. He does not handle it.

He did tip out in the stretch, but the stress of racing on the inside likely affected him enough to nullify his kick. If Tiz the Law stays in training, he is still a top horse.

Tom’s d’Etat ran a clunker with his ninth-place finish, which happens with all horses. On his good days, he is better than the horse who lost by 15 3/4 lengths.

Authentic won this race fair and square, but it is hard to call this one of the more exciting Classics because everyone could see the finish after the first quarter. Fans of Bayern’s wire-to-wire win in 2014 possibly enjoyed this one, if there are any. But other horseplayers were left scratching their heads at the lack of early challengers.

Nevertheless, Authentic finishes a great season and deserves his pending Eclipse Awards. When this horse secures the lead comfortably, he is invincible.

Monomoy Girl wins second Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Race-wise, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff proved more dramatic than the Classic.

With Swiss Skydiver stumbling at the break, she hurt her own chances. Monomoy Girl went slightly wide around the first turn, but she had a reasonable position.

Surprisingly, Harvest Moon took the lead after the initial turn, denying the chance for Lady Kate to run in front uncontested. She made sure the race had some pace.

Harvest Moon did not loaf along in easy fractions, with a half-mile in 46.03.

As Harvest Moon and Lady Kate kept their 1-2 spots, Monomoy Girl was traveling wide in fourth, not very far from Harvest Moon. Swiss Skydiver ran behind the leading group, but she made an inside move to get back into contention on the turn.

Around the turn, Harvest Moon still led through six furlongs in 1:09.94.

For a moment, Swiss Skydiver gave her followers hope, as a path opened along the rail and she initially went through it. But Monomoy Girl already had gone to the attack on Harvest Moon and took the lead by the top of the stretch run.

Under a drive, Monomoy Girl began to open up slightly and eventually won by 1 3/4 lengths in a hard-fought finish, with Valiance coming slowly on the outside for second and Dunbar Road crawling into the picture in third.

Harvest Moon held fourth in a performance better than the finish indicates.

The early trouble for Swiss Skydiver took a toll, as she folded out of the superfecta.

She could not capitalize on the rail opening on the far turn. With that said, the early move she made while approaching the turn to recover from the poor position caused by the stumble likely took the energy out of her. If she runs next year, Swiss Skydiver probably will bounce back to her winning ways.

Also keep an eye on Harvest Moon. For a 3-year-old filly with few starts, she is on the upswing after winning the Zenyatta Stakes (G1) and running a credible fourth here.

Monomoy Girl sometimes does not win in the flashiest ways. But she keeps winning. She remains undefeated for 2020 with four wins in four starts, including two Grade 1s and one Grade 2 race. She should earn the Eclipse Award.

She also gave the connections enough reason to keep running her. With a well-spaced schedule, Monomoy Girl could prove herself the best of female dirt routers again in 2021. But retiring her would be a respectable decision as well.