With his win today in the Kentucky Derby, Authentic made the second big race of the meet another upset, following in the shoes of Shedaresthedevil’s win in the Oaks. Authentic won Derby in style today, holding off Tiz the Law at the end. Of course, he was one of the horses that I hadn’t previewed yesterday, as most handicappers thought he didn’t have the staying power, after struggling to win the Haskell at 1 1/8 mile. Boy, did he prove them wrong. He broke from the outside position and moved right to the front. Jockey Johnny Velazquez gave him a breather around the half mile mark and when Tiz the Law made his move, showed himself to have the endurance to hold off the favorites. The other big surprise in the race was the longshot (46-1) Mr. Big News, who made a big move from the back of the pack to finish third. Honor AP, who was bumped at the start, finished fourth. Jockey Mike Smith said the colt had trouble with the track surface but tried his best. He sat in the back of the field but made a big move coming around the final turn.
The circumstances of the Derby were more than peculiar. The stands were empty, protesters marched outside the gates, and helicopters flew overhead. Despite the relatively low key environment, one of the Derby favorites, Thousand Words, reared up and flipped over while being saddled, breaking the arm of Bob Baffert’s assistant, John Barnes, in the process. Although the colt appears to be okay, he was a last minute scratch.
Authentic is the first Kentucky Derby winner for co-owner B. Wayne Hughes of Spendthrift Farm. Authentic is also owned by Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable, and the group MyRacehorse, which invited fans to purchase a micro-share of the colt prior to the Derby. According to MyRacehorse social media accounts, 4,500 people got to experience the feeling of owning the winner of the Kentucky Derby. That’s kind of a cool idea. Checking their website today, they have one horse featured — NY Exacta. You can buy a share (0.5%) for $228.
What did you think of the big race? Holding it after the Belmont still feels strange to me, but I enjoyed the race nonetheless.
I enjoyed the entire card…only because most sports are still on hold did NBC actually spend the time showing all the races. The Distaff? where Serengeti Empress, ( who I’d seen race some time ago and wanted her to win) and Bell something something…now THAT was a race. WOW. S. Empress was beaten by a flared nostril.
I am not surprised Tiz the Law was beaten. The Derby used to have a reputation of being a dream breaker, “the Derby curse” being a favorite was going to be beaten. That changed for several years, but apparently it’s back. Tiz tL had lost at Churchill downs before. I was pretty surprised at Authentic…but he proved his name. That was a good race. I was hoping for Honor AP to show up but he never really fired.
What I liked most? was the lack of crowd noise. As in the other races I’ve watched this epidemic racing season, you can HEAR the thunder of hooves. You could hear the panting of the horse after the race. If it didn’t mean financial ruin for the tracks that are left, I’d say ALL races should be run without huge crowds. But……………..if they don’t make their handle, they go broke.
That, and I so appreciated Greg Harbut and his co owner? Trainer? was on the camera. I think every girl in the world knew who Man O’War was, and Will Harbut, his trainer, calling him “Big Red” and “the mostest hoss’. For his grandson to be on the Derby track as an OWNER is a big, big thing. I”m also grateful that “My Old Kentucky Home” was only played, not sung. I never thought the song was ‘nice’…I remember as a kid, reading the lyrics and wondering at the appropriateness..or lack thereof, of the term ‘darkies’. The changed it, years ago, to ‘young folk’ but still…it was and is a song that has run it’s course and should be retired, forever.
It was a RACE, televised as one, not a fashion show, with silly women wanting to be seen; not one with lots of celebrities, although they had golfers choosing their horse (they’d be pissed when I say that the best thing to do on a golf course is a gallop!) and I got tired of the talking heads constantly ‘tying in’ references to the sports NBC really wants to show, those being ones with grown men chasing balls of various sizes.
And I appreciated that the protestors did not flood the track. I was so afraid of that. I truly appreciate their reasons for protesting…but this was one spot where any interruptions of the race would only cause them harm.
oops! Will Harbut was Man O’ War’s GROOM, not trainer.