There were questions back in September as to whether he could handle 1 1/4 miles, which is why Authentic went off at 8-1 when he won the Kentucky Derby after being 6-5 or lower in his five prior starts. And on Saturday at Keeneland, there were questions if, as a 3-year-old, he could handle an outstanding group of older horses, including two from his own barn, which is why he was the just barely the third choice in a field of 10 for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. But once again, he showed he’s real, genuine, yes, Authentic. Using the same front-running tactics as in the Derby, Authentic and jockey John Velazquez again led every step of the way. They won the Classic by 2 1/4 lengths over Improbable, who, like Authentic, is trained by Bob Baffert, and, like Authentic, came into the race as one of the top contenders for Horse of the Year. It was an emphatic victory, one that should bring Authentic year-end honors as both champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year. “He’s the best horse in America,” Baffert said at a post-race news conference. The victory was the fourth in the Classic for Baffert, all with 3-year-olds, following Bayern (2014), Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (2015), and Arrogate (2016). It was the first for Velazquez, who acknowledged the satisfaction. :: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more. “I’ve been chasing this race,” he said. Authentic became the fourth horse to win the Derby and the Classic in the same year, following Sunday Silence (1989), Unbridled (1990), and American Pharoah. He was a May foal in 2017, and the four-month postponement of this year’s Derby owing to the pandemic undoubtedly allowed him to mature mentally and physically before he was asked to race in the two biggest races of his life the past two months. “He’s maturing right now. This is the time of year they catch up,” Baffert said. Authentic is the 13th 3-year-old to win the Classic in its 37 runnings. Authentic ($10.40) was listed as covering 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.19, with no interior fractions on the official chart. The race was given a 111 Beyer Speed Figure. “Due to a timer malfunction, the times were timed manually using video,” the official chart reads. The Trakus system timed the race in 1:59.82. Improbable, who loomed menacingly entering the lane, never could go by and finished second by one length in front of 25-1 shot Global Campaign, who ran the best race of his career. Tacitus was fourth and was followed, in order, by Maximum Security, Tiz the Law, Title Ready, By My Standards, Tom’s d’Etat, and Higher Power. As in the Derby, where he was in the outside post in a field of 15, Authentic drew wide, enabling him to use his natural speed but without having to be sent along from an inside post. Velazquez doled it out judiciously, something he hoped to do after sizing up the race. “There wasn’t a lot of speed in the field,” Velazquez said. “Tried to take advantage of that, get to the rail, let them come and get him.” Authentic led by 1 1/2 lengths after a quarter-mile and 2 1/2 lengths after a half-mile, with a third Baffert entrant, Maximum Security, in closest pursuit. As the field neared the far turn, Improbable began his rally while in the four path, while Maximum Security could not keep up. Meanwhile, Tiz the Law, the 3-1 favorite, was caught behind Authenic and inside of By My Standards, positioning that always seems to make him uncomfortable. He never could get out into the stalking position he prefers, and he never fired his best shot. Tom’s d’Etat was flat, never mounting any challenge whatsoever, so when the field turned into the stretch, the only horse who had a chance of catching Authentic was Improbable. And, as with Tiz the Law in the Derby, Authentic was not surrendering the lead. Authentic closed out the year by winning three of his final four starts, all in Grade 1 company. After taking the Haskell and the Derby, he was denied by the filly Swiss Skydiver in the Preakness, five weeks out from the Breeders’ Cup. The Preakness was only his second defeat, following the Santa Anita Derby, in which he also finished second. “The two races where he was really blowing afterwards were the Preakness and the Santa Anita Derby,” Baffert said. “Maybe I didn’t have him as sharp as I needed. But I have a great team, and we tightened the screws.” As he did preceding the Derby, Baffert kept Authentic at his home base in Southern California and gave him a strong series of drills, capped off by a five-furlong work in 59.60 seconds last Saturday at Santa Anita. “I wish the Preakness was this week,” Baffert said immediately after that drill. “I want a re-do.” He got a better one on Saturday, a chance to more than make amends in the richest and, in terms of championship implications most important race of the year. Authentic, a colt by Into Mischief, has won six times in eight starts, including his debut win against maidens last year at age 2. This year, he won five times in seven starts, with two seconds. Whether he does anything more is in question. Authentic is owned by a partnership headed by Spendthrift Farm, and it’s not inconceivable Authentic will be headed there to begin a new chapter of his life. “I’d love to have him back,” Baffert said. “Unfortunately I don’t get a vote in that. I just hope they keep sending me more horses like this.”