Preakness Stakes 2020 Horse Profile: Authentic

Preakness Profile: Authentic

In the days leading up to Saturday’s 145^th Preakness, usracing.com will be publishing profiles of the 11 horses entered in 2020’s final leg of the Triple Crown.

By Ed McNamara

Authentic Winning The Kentucky Derby – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.

Before the Derby, many alleged experts (including me) considered Authentic a talented front-runner but immature and unlikely to stay 1 1/4 miles. His trainer disagreed, expressing confidence he could get the distance.

Guess who was right? Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Bob Baffert, master of all things Triple Crown.

A brilliant ride by John Velazquez gave Baffert his record-tying sixth Derby. Authentic dislodged Derby runner-up Tiz the Law from the top spot in the NTRA 3-year-old poll and will be favored to give Baffert his record eighth Preakness. He’s 5-for-5 at Pimlico with a Derby winner.

Authentic looked stronger than ever Sept. 19 at Churchill Downs, where he zipped 5 furlongs in 59.20 seconds, the fastest of 38 works at the distance. On Monday, he worked 4 furlongs in 47.60 at Churchill, the fastest of 37 at the distance.

“It went very well,” Baffert said. “Martin [Garcia] didn’t have to move on him. He couldn’t have looked better, coming off a race like that. Everything is all systems go for the Preakness.”

There’s no way Authentic ever again will be disregarded at 8-1, as he was in the Derby. He’s the horse to beat at a track Baffert owns.

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Authentic

Odds: 9-5

Post position: No. 9

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owners: SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Frederick Hertrich III

Career record: 6-5-1-0

Career earnings: $2,871,200

Top Equibase speed figure: 113

Pedigree: Into Mischief-Flawless, by Mr. Greeley

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Front-runner

Notes: Baffert’s seven Preakness wins came with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Lookin At Lucky (2010), American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018). He’s tied with Robert Wyndham Walden (1844-1905), whose last victory in Maryland’s signature race came in 1888. Walden holds one record that even Baffert won’t break. He won the Preakness five consecutive times from 1878-82.

Preakness Stakes Odds