Authentic Spirit

This colt hails from the first crop of Horse of the Year Authentic, who should need no introduction to the MyRacehorse community as the horse who brought us G1 Kentucky Derby glory in 2020. The Bob Baffert trainee’s other victories at three included the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, G1 Haskell S., G2 San Felipe S., and G3 Sham S. He racked up more than $7.2 million in career earnings, and as expected, has been a hot commodity at stud thus far—he was the leading first-crop sire at the sales in 2021 and remains by far the market darling in 2022. His first yearlings have averaged $446,333 through the Saratoga sales, while the next first-crop stallion with more than one sold has averaged just $233,410.

Authentic’s sire Into Mischief is the record-setting four-time champion general sire, and other sons of Into Mischief are beginning to have their own success with runners on the track. His son Maximus Mischief, who is bred on the same cross as this yearling, is the leading freshman sire of 2023 as of this writing.

Winning dam Brandy is by Unbridled’s Song, a perennial top-10 broodmare sire who has been at the top of that list multiple times. Unbridled’s Song is responsible for the dams of no fewer than 32 highest-level winners, including last year’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. winner Gina Romantica (Into Mischief), who is bred like this colt and was also a product of the same top farm in Machmer Hall.

Our colt’s second dam, by another important sire in Gone West, was a stakes winner and produced two Grade 1-placed runners. One of those standouts produced another stakes-placed filly who in turn is the dam of 2023 Grade 2 winner Heavenly Sunday. The extremely deep pedigree page lists additional champions and high-level performers all across the globe.