By US Racing Team
Authentic Winning The Kentucky Derby – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.
The $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic was Authentic, but the time wasn’t until several days after the race.
Upon further review, officials announced on Wednesday (Nov. 11) that Authentic’s winning time in the Classic was a bit slower than the ‘official’ time listed by Equibase, though the corrected time remains a Keeneland track record for 1 ¼ miles.
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The numbers: Authentic won the race by 2 ¼ lengths on Saturday (Nov. 7) in a listed time of 1:59.19. The change makes the ‘really official’ time 1:59.60.
Here’s what happened, according to a press release from Keeneland and Equibase, which provides North American thoroughbred tracks with a database of racing information and statistics:
Before the race, sponsored by Longines, “a photo eye at the start of the race was inadvertently tripped, which resulted in an error when attempting to operate the timing system manually causing inaccurate timing for all fractions and the final time of the race,’’ the statement read.
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“A final time of 1:59.19 was initially provided by Equibase using the available video replay. After subsequent and more detailed review and timing of the race from multiple sources and camera angles, Keeneland and Equibase have determined the fractional times for the Classic (:23.20, :46.84, 1:10.32, 1:34.64) and confirmed a final time of 1:59.60.”
The racing chart has been updated by Equibase, and the new time is now the official track record for 1 ¼ miles at Keeneland.
Authentic, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, lowered the record of 2:00.07, which was set by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, also trained by Baffert.
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