Authentic Named 2020 Horse of the Year

[Wandering Eyes]

We watched him grow up before our eyes.

Authentic (Into Mischief), freakishly talented, but prone to–well–mischievous behavior during the early part of 2020, was a finished product by year's end and his on-track accomplishments landed him Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old honors at Thursday's Eclipse Awards.

The ceremonies were held virtually, fittingly enough and among other locations, at Spendthrift Farm, who campaigned the Peter Blum-bred son of Flawless (Mr. Greeley) in partnership with the 5300-some micro-share holders of MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing. And Authentic was virtually perfect in 2020, sometimes almost in spite of himself. Sure, he was devastating in the GIII Sham S. in January, even as he negotiated the final furlong like a drunken soldier, and his talent was such that he overcame a stutter-step start to take the GII San Felipe S. in March. As the pandemic tightened its grip, California racing grinded to a halt, forcing connections to hit the pause button on Authentic's season. Honor A. P. (Honor Code) made him pay for a slow start in the GI Santa Anita Derby in June, but he atoned in the GI Haskell S. the following month, looking a winner every step until he returned to his single-minded ways late and barely scraped in.

The takeaway? Surely Authentic would find that 10th furlong of the GI Kentucky Derby a step too far, but, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez at the controls for the first time (Smith elected to stick with the Santa Anita Derby winner), Authentic took them every step at Churchill at juicy odds of 42-5, proving that his all-conquering sire's progeny could indeed stay a Classic distance.

It would be difficult to begrudge him his defeat at the hands of a refuse-to-lose champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) on the square in the GI Preakness S. in early October, but those that remained in his corner were rewarded with an overlaid 4.20-1 in the Nov. 7 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, when Authentic treated a classy field including Eclipse Award winner Improbable (City Zip), former champion Maximum Security (New Year's Day) and GI Belmont S. and Eclipse Award runner-up Tiz the Law (Consititution) to a 2 1/4-length beating.

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