2020 Breeders' Cup Classic

Last updated
37th Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
Location Keeneland
DateNovember 7, 2020 (2020-11-07)
Winning horse Authentic
Winning time1:59.60 [lower-alpha 1]
Jockey John Velazquez
Trainer Bob Baffert
Owner Spendthrift Farm, Myracehorse Stable Et Al
Conditions fast [3]
SurfaceDirt
Attendance— [lower-alpha 2]
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The 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 37th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2020 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program. It was run on November 7, 2020 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky with a purse of $6,000,000. It was won by Authentic in a track record time of 1:59.60. [lower-alpha 1]

Contents

The Classic is run on dirt at one mile and one-quarter (approximately 2000 m). It is run under weight-for-age conditions, with entrants carrying the following weights:

The race was broadcast on NBC.

Contenders

The Breeders' Cup Classic is open to up to 14 starters, with automatic berths for horses that win one of the designated "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge races. Other horses are ranked by their performances in graded stakes races and by the judgement of a panel of racing experts. [4]

Entries were taken on November 2. The leading contenders were: [5] [6] [7]

The filly Swiss Skydiver qualified for both the Classic and Distaff by winning the Preakness Stakes and Alabama Stakes respectively. Her connections decided to enter her in the Distaff. [5]

Race description

On a very fast track that appeared to favor front runners, Authentic went to the early lead, followed by Maximum Security. Tiz the Law also broke well but was taken back and was never a factor. Improbable broke to the inside, bumping into several horses to his inside. He then rated in midpack until the final turn, moving to within a length of Authentic as they entered the stretch. Authentic responded to the challenge and drew away down the stretch to win by 2+1⁄4 lengths. [1] [3]

It was the fourth classic win for Authentic's trainer Bob Baffert, and the first for veteran jockey John Velazquez. Baffert had sharpened up Authentic's training after being defeated in the Preakness, telling Velazquez, "The horse you're riding this week is the horse that you rode in the Derby. You can ride him with confidence. You can be aggressive. You can do what you want. And he's just a really top horse." [8]

Authentic became the fourth Kentucky Derby winner to also take the Classic in their three-year-old campaign, after Sunday Silence in 1989, Unbridled in 1990, and American Pharoah in 2015. [1] Derby winners Ferdinand and Alysheba won the Classic in their four-year-old campaign. Authentic was subsequently named the 2020 American Horse of the Year. [9]

Authentic broke the track record set by American Pharoah five years ago in the same race. The teletimer did not function properly so the race was hand-timed, initially in 1:59.16 based on the video and then in 1:59.60 using additional camera angles. Note that races in North America typically have a "run-up" between where the stating gate is placed until the official starting point at which the timer starts (50 feet in this case), which complicates hand timing. [2] [3]

Results

FinishProgram
Number		HorseJockeyTrainerMorning Line
Odds [5] 		Final OddsWinningsMargin
19 Authentic John Velazquez Bob Baffert 4.20$3,120,000
28 Improbable Irad Ortiz Jr. Bob Baffert 3.70$1,020,0002+1⁄4 lengths
37Global Campaign Javier Castellano Stanley Hough 25.20$540,0003+1⁄4 lengths
41 Tacitus Jose Ortiz Bill Mott 21.20$300,0005+1⁄4 lengths
510 Maximum Security Luis Saez Bob Baffert 4.40$180,0005+1⁄4 lengths
62 Tiz the Law Manuel Franco Barclay Tagg 3.20$120,0005+1⁄2 lengths
75Title Ready Corey Lanerie Dallas Stewart 66.40$60,00012+3⁄4 lengths
83By My Standards Gabriel Saez Bret Calhoun 16.30$60,00014 lengths
94 Tom's d'Etat Joel Rosario Albert Stall Jr. 4.20$60,00015+3⁄4 lengths
106Higher Power Flavien Prat John Sadler 43.40$60,00030 lengths

Times:1⁄4 – 23.20; 1⁄2 – 46.84; 3⁄4 – 1:10.32; mile – 1:34.64; final – 1:59.60. [lower-alpha 1]
Splits for each quarter-mile: (23.20) (23.64) (23.48) (24.32) (24.96)

Source: Revised Equibase Chart [3]

Payout

Payout Schedule: [3]

Program
Number		HorseWinPlaceShow
9Authentic$10.40$5.40$4.20
8Improbable$4.80$3.20
7Global Campaign$8.80
Notes
  1. 1 2 3 There was a timer malfunction and the race was hand timed by Equibase, originally in 1:59.19. Equibase revised the time to 1:59.60 after viewing additional sources from multiple angles. The time recorded by a different timing system, Trakus, was 1:59.82. In any event, Authentic set a new track record [1] [2]
  2. ↑ The 2020 Classic did not have any paid attendance due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Privman, Jay. "Breeders' Cup Classic: Authentic likely clinches Horse of the Year with victory". www.drf.com. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Authentic's Classic time changed, still track record". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chart of the Breeders' Cup Classic". Equibase. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "How It Works | Breeders' Cup". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "Breeders Cup Classic odds: Favorite, positions, horses, favorite, entries". NBC Sports. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Authentic Vaults To Fourth In Weekly Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings". Paulick Report. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  7. ↑ "Improbable Tops Final Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "Authentic wires field to win Breeders' Cup Classic". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Authentic takes Horse of the Year, 3YO male honors". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
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