Authentic, the underdog of the three million-dollar Kentucky Derby, came out victorious in the much anticipated race presented by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs, on Sept. 5.

Piloted by jockey John R. Velazquez and trained by Bob Baffert, the three-year old Bay Colt, out of stallion Into Mischief and broodmare Flawless, sold for $350,000 as a yearling at the 2018 Keeneland September Auction. 

Baffert, a giant in the American horse racing industry, is well-known for his training of Triple Crown Winners American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018. Originally a trainer of Quarter Horses, Baffert decided to make the shift to Thoroughbred racing in 1991, eventually becoming the first trainer in 37 years to train a Triple Crown Winner. 

Over the course of his career, Baffert has garnered a total of 16 victories in Triple Crown Races — six Kentucky Derby wins, seven Preakness Stakes wins and three Belmont Stakes wins.

Prior to the Derby, two of Baffert’s horses tested positive for use of a banned substance, subjecting him to a 15-day suspension starting on Aug. 1 by the Arkansas Racing Commission. In conversation with The Associated Press, Baffert insisted upon an innocent contamination from a lidocaine patch and announced that his team would appeal the suspension. 

Known as the crowd-favorite on Derby Day, Tiz the Law, a New-York bred Bay Colt, trained by Barclay Tagg and ridden by jockey Manuel Franco, sold as a yearling at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, for $110,000. 

Tiz the Law instantly rose to stardom in the horse racing industry. Winning seven of his eight past races, the colt became the favorite to win the Derby. 

Previously having ran and won the Belmont Stakes, many favored Tiz the Law to win the second of the Triple Crown Races. As the Derby neared a close, Tiz the Law, in perfect striking position for the final stretch, came within a head of his opponent Authentic.

Despite all signs pointing towards another victory, Tiz the Law could not get past the son of Into Mischief — Authentic, who swept in and ran the seventh fastest time in derby history, clocking the mile and a half stretch at 2:00.6, which ensured his first place crowning. 

As the Triple Crown Races continue, the spotlight continues to shine on the beloved sport. The Preakness Stakes, the last of the Triple Crown races this year, takes place on Saturday, Oct. 3, where fans will tune in to see how the final race will unfold.