Spendthrift acquires majority interest in Authentic

Spendthrift Farm has acquired a majority interest in unbeaten Kentucky Derby hopeful Authentic, continuing to invest in its leading sire line.

Authentic, who is entered in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby as he looks for his third straight graded stakes score, is a son of Into Mischief, who has developed into one of the leading sires in the country for Spendthrift. Already established as a perennial leading juvenile sire, he claimed his first general sire title in 2019, leading the way by both earnings and individual winners.

Spendthrift introduced Into Mischief's first son at stud, two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents; that young stallion was 2018's leading freshman sire by individual winners and runner-up by earnings, and was 2019’s leading second-crop sire. Spendthrift added Into Mischief's graded stakes-winning son Maximus Mischief to its roster this year and has secured the future rights to Goldencents's graded stakes-winning son Mr. Money.

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“We believe Into Mischief is still in the early stages of his successes, and we are hopeful Authentic can be a significant part," Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey said in a press release. "This colt possesses all the signature attributes we have come to know from Into Mischief, and we feel strongly that those attributes are going to carry on through his sons in the breeding shed.”

Authentic, who is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Flawless, was bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds. He was a $350,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by SF Racing and Starlight Racing, with Fred Hertrich III, John D. Fielding, Golconda Stables, and Madaket Stables also joining his ownership group. Spendthrift will now campaign the colt with Starlight and Madaket, with SF, Hertrich, Fielding, and Golconda selling their respective interests.

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Authentic, who is trained by Bob Baffert, won his debut last November and has won both his starts this year, both in graded stakes company. He took the Grade 3 Sham Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths over Azul Coast, subsequent winner of the El Camino Real Derby. He then won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths over the well-regarded Honor A. P. and Eclipse Award champion juvenile Storm the Court.

“Authentic was a beautiful [Keeneland September] yearling, an unfurnished May foal at the time but with a wonderful presence and way about him,” Tom Ryan of SF Racing said in the release. “Watching Bob and his team develop this colt, with his 2-year-old win at Del Mar and two more domineering wins as a 3-year-old, has been a great experience. Bob and [jockey Drayden Van Dyke] have believed in him from the beginning and he has completely validated their confidence. Authentic is the very best of Into Mischief, with brilliance in abundance and an effortless running style that should carry him the distance.”