11) AUTHENTIC (c, Into Mischief&log=">Into Mischief—Flawless, by Mr. Greeley)
O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Fred Hertrich III, John D. Fielding & Golconda Stables. B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds LLC (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $350,000 yrl '18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $91,200.
Last Start: 1st GIII Sham S., SA, Jan. 4
Next Start: Uncommitted
Equineline PPs. KY Derby Points: 10.
The two-for-two Authentic bulleted six furlongs in 1:12.20 (1/5) at Santa Anita last Thursday, and he's now had five published morning moves since his 7 3/4-length bulldozing of a the GIII Sham S. crew back Jan. 4 (a race that looked weak on paper but has since been shored up by the runner-up winning the El Camino Real Derby Saturday). The main takeaway from that race was that this $350,000 KEESEP purchase was green but game, and although his ducking in, veering out, and fighting his rider is what stood out, it's also proper to mention that Authentic did regain enough focus to win geared down, so it's not like 10 seconds of unruly behavior should define him moving forward. As mentioned in the write-up for Thousand Words, trainer Bob Baffert isn't yet disclosing when or where Authentic will be starting next, but this is a colt clearly sitting on “go” and whose turn at the entry box is theoretically ahead of more recently raced stablemates.
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