Authentic wins 2020 Kentucky Derby
Authentic on Saturday won the 146th Kentucky Derby, denying Tiz the Law a shot at the Triple Crown. Tiz the Law came into the race as the favorite at 4/5 odds.
The Run for the Roses, usually the first leg of the Triple Crown, was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the Belmont Stakes, the traditional last race in the Triple Crown, was held first this year. Tiz the Law won that race on June 20, becoming the first New York-bred horse to win the contest since 1882.
Authentic was trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who has trained two Triple Crown winners. Baffert now has six Kentucky Derby wins, tying him for the all-time record with Ben A. Jones, who also trained two Triple Crown winners.
The final Triple Crown race this year will be the Preakness Stakes, scheduled for October 3.
Like the Belmont Stakes, Saturday's contest was held without fans in attendance. Multiple protests converged outside Churchill Downs prior to the race, however. According to CBS affiliate WLKY-TY, the group Until Freedom is marching and demanding the officers involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor be charged and arrested. Another group, NFAC, which WLKY characterized as a "Black militia" is also protesting.
The protests were met by "back the blue" counter protesters at Jefferson Square Park in downtown Louisville before the groups began marching to Churchill Downs.