Breeders' Cup Distaff: Authenticity a quiet contender

Authenticity has quietly slid into the Breeders’ Cup background.

Once considered potential second choice in the Distaff, Authenticity has dropped to fourth or fifth despite attributes that include runner-up finishes in three Grade 1’s and established form at Santa Anita. Her declining status is mostly due to a growing list of contenders.

“It’s such a deep field, with headliners such as Beholder, Royal Delta, and Princess of Sylmar,” said Todd Pletcher, Authenticity’s trainer. “She is kind of quietly under the radar.”

This is good news for bettors shopping for value in a small Distaff field, currently with six likely starters. But in the past three weeks, Authenticity has signaled she is a worthy upset candidate.

“Her last race was sneaky good,” Pletcher said. “She seems to like the [Santa Anita] surface.”

Pletcher could have kept Authenticity home at Belmont Park for the Beldame Stakes to face Royal Delta and Princess of Sylmar. Instead, he sent Authenticity to Santa Anita for the Zenyatta Stakes, hoping that Authenticity would handle the ship and the surface.

She handled it well, runner-up by 1 1/4 lengths in a deceptively good effort. Authenticity was not quick from the gate and was squeezed back to last. The early trouble was crucial, because it took Authenticity out of her normal pace-pressing style.

While pacesetter Beholder lollygagged through a slow 47.36-second opening half, Authenticity was forced to play catch-up. Last early, she made a middle move into fourth and saved her best for the stretch, rallying into second.

“Her last sixteenth, she finished well, and galloped out well,” Pletcher said. “I thought her race was very good.”

Was it good enough to defeat Royal Delta, Princess of Sylmar, and Beholder in the Distaff? Maybe it was, or maybe not. What is undisputable is Authenticity is doing well in California. She returned Oct. 12 with a bullet workout at Santa Anita in 46.20 seconds and is scheduled to work again Saturday.

Meanwhile, Saturday also is a big work day at Belmont for the Pletcher-trained Princess of Sylmar. Pletcher said, “We haven’t made a formal decision” regarding the Distaff, but all indications are Princess of Sylmar will be supplemented for $100,000.

Royal Delta and Close Hatches, both trained by Bill Mott, are scheduled for weekend works at Belmont, while Beholder maintained her fitness level with a five-furlong work Tuesday at Santa Anita in 58.60, fastest of the day.

But none of the Distaff starters will enter with a workout pattern resembling longshot Street Girl. Third to Close Hatches in the Grade 1 Cotillion, Street Girl has been working every three to four days at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Manuel Azpurua trains aggressively, and Street Girl is no exception. Her recent work pattern includes a 38.20 work for three furlongs on Oct. 2, 48.60 for four furlongs on Oct. 5, 48.40 for four furlongs on Oct. 9, 46.60 for four furlongs on Oct. 12, and 38.20 for three furlongs on Oct. 16.

“I always train her that way,” Azpurua said. “She’s in good shape, she is doing everything right. She’s improving every single day. She will be in the Distaff.”