Kentucky Derby hero Authentic gave Bob Baffert a fourth Breeders’ Cup Classic success at Keeneland.

The three-year-old made virtually all the running and dug deep when needed to hold his year-older stablemate Improbable in the closing stages.

John Velazquez – celebrating his first win in the Classic – soon had Authentic in pole position, but he was shadowed by another stablemate, Maximum Security, with his old adversary Tiz The Law not far behind.

There was all to play for at the top of the straight, where Authentic pulled out more when challenged by Improbable and would not be denied. Global Campaign was third.

Authentic is a son of Into Mischief.