ARCADIA, Calif. – Having won the Kentucky Derby five times, trainer Bob Baffert has some well-grooved tracks on the road to the Derby, and he took a significant step towards his intended destination this year in the first points-scoring race of 2020 at Santa Anita, as Authentic led from start to finish in the Grade 3, $100,500 Sham Stakes. It was a lopsided affair – Authentic won by nearly eight lengths – but not without a bit of drama, as Authentic ducked in sharply toward the rail at midstretch and then overreacted to getting near the rail and ducked back out. He was so far in front it didn’t matter, but he gave jockey Drayden Van Dyke an anxious moment. “I’m happy I stayed on,” said Van Dyke, who said Authentic seemed startled by noise from the crowd. “His ears went to the right,” Van Dyke said. “They don’t hear anything when they’re working in the morning. And then he got spooked when he got close to the rail.” Authentic ($4.40) was favored. He had won his lone prior start, in a sprint debut at Del Mar on Nov. 9. In the one-mile Sham, he was stretching out to two turns and facing winners for the first time. He has plenty of speed to begin with, so when he drew the rail the tactics were obvious – go to the front and improve your position. Authentic made the front without much pressure, gaining a 1 1/2-length lead through a moderate opening quarter in 23.87 seconds. He got away with a half in 47.94 seconds, and six furlongs in 1:12.18 while beginning to widen on his rivals. He was up by eight with a furlong to go, and wound up 7 3/4 lengths best when crossing the wire. He was timed in 1:37.57 on the fast main track. Victory in the Sham was worth 10 points on the system used by Churchill Downs to determine the field for the May 2 Derby. Azul Coast, Baffert’s other runner in the race, rallied from last to be second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Zimba Warrior. Taishan was fourth and was followed, in order, by Scoring and Uncaptured Hero in the field of six. “I thought it he was a good horse he should win,” Baffert said. “Drayden’s always been very high on him. He’s quick. He was the quickest horse in the race. He moves like a gazelle. Light on his feet. Leggy.” Baffert said Authentic likely would make his next start in March. Santa Anita’s option would be the San Felipe on March 7, but Baffert often uses Oaklawn Park for Derby preps if he has multiple horses with chances at making the Derby, so the Rebel may end up in play then, too. All that is a long ways off. The satisfaction Saturday was taking a step in the right direction. “You want to see something, especially at this time of year,” Baffert said. Authentic, a colt by Into Mischief, was purchased for $350,000 as part of a group of yearlings acquired by a partnership headed by SF Racing and Starlight Racing that also includes Madaket Stables, Fred Hertrich III, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables.