Authentic, Maximum Security in final works for BC Classic showdown
ARCADIA, Calif. – Authentic and Maximum Security, the last two horses to cross the wire first in the Kentucky Derby, on Saturday morning at Santa Anita turned in their final works for the Breeders’ Cup Classic one week hence at Keeneland. The race that could have championship implications for both.
Authentic, this year’s Derby winner, is vying for the 3-year-old male title with Tiz the Law, winner of the Belmont Stakes. Authentic is always a forward-training horse, and Saturday morning was more of the same, with a five-furlong drill in 59.60 seconds under exercise rider Juan Ochoa.
“Looks like a Derby winner,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He galloped out strong. He works by himself because he doesn’t need encouragement.”
Maximum Security, by contrast, often has been a lackadaisical worker, and thus works in company, but he has trained sharply coming out of his runner-up effort to Improbable in the Awesome Again five weeks ago.
On Saturday, Maximum Security – also under Ochoa - broke off a bit behind a workmate but was keen early, settled nicely by the far turn, then readily pulled away in the final sixteenth. His official time was 1:00.60 for five furlongs, but track clockers had him going out six furlongs in 1:12.60 and easing up seven furlongs in 1:26.40. He then galloped around counter-clockwise to the quarter-mile chute and exited there, similar to what was seen from Arrogate before his Classic victory here over California Chrome in 2016.
“He went nice. He doesn’t get tired,” said Baffert, who took over as Maximum Security’s trainer earlier this year after a 3-year-old campaign in which he was disqualified from victory in the Derby for interference.
Maximum Security, last year’s champion 3-year-old male, is in the hunt this year for the older male dirt title.
Baffert’s third Classic entrant, Improbable, is scheduled to have his final work on Sunday at Santa Anita.
His only other Breeders’ Cup worker Saturday was Gamine, who is headed to the Filly and Mare Sprint. She, too, worked in company, and went five furlongs in 59.40 seconds.
Richard Mandella, like Baffert a member of the Hall of Fame, has two Breeders’ Cup runners, and both turned in easy maintenance drills Saturday.
United, heading back to the Turf – in which he finished second last year to Bricks and Mortar, the Horse of the Year – went six furlongs in 1:15, steady as a metronome.
“An easy six,” Mandella said. “He had a strong three-quarters and a strong mile before this, so he just needed a nice, comfortable work.”
Bombard, who goes in the Turf Sprint, traveled three furlongs in 37.60 seconds, which Mandella described as “a nice gallop.” Both are scheduled to fly to Kentucky on Sunday.
Mucho Unusual, who goes in the Filly and Mare Turf, worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 for Tim Yakteen.