Third Time's the Charm for Authentic's Kalea Bay

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Santa Anita Park

Kalea Bay  joined Bob Baffert's ever-growing troupe of top 2-year-olds ahead of next year's spring classics with an emphatic, maiden-breaking score Sept. 29 at Santa Anita Park.

#3 KALEA BAY ($2.60) goes gate-to-wire to easily win race 2 at Santa Anita. The 2yo son of Authentic (@spendthriftfarm) was ridden by Flavien Prat and is trained by Bob Baffert.

Watch more on @FanDuelTV and wager here https://t.co/7I3M5l53AE pic.twitter.com/LvgubLjfMR

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 28, 2024

The improving son of first-crop sire Authentic   proved the third time's the charm for his connections, looking like a ball of fire as he roared across the finish line 8 1/2 lengths in front in a six-furlong maiden event. In his prior two starts, he ran decently enough, third in his debut and a narrow second to fellow Baffert trainee Citizen Bull . However, Sunday's triumph raised the bar in a performance worthy of his more accomplished stablemates.

Speeding clear from the jump under Flavien Prat, Kalea Bay never stopped, widening his advantage with every pole before hitting the wire in 1:09.67 for six furlongs. The 1-5 favorite garnered a 97 Equibase Speed Figure.

With his $32,400 paycheck, Kalea Bay took a step toward earning back his steep $700,000 price at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt was acquired by SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, the same team behind Citizen Bull and Getaway Car .

In an interview with TwinSpires Racing before Kalea Bay's August debut, Baffert called the strapping red colt "the most beautiful Authentic you'll ever see." Baffert trained Authentic, a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, to a 2020 Horse of the Year title after victories in the Haskell Stakes (G1), Kentucky Derby (G1), and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). The trainer noted that Kalea Bay is much more forward than his late-maturing sire, who didn't find his best stride until his 3-year-old season.

Apart from Kalea Bay's good looks, the Summer Wind Equine-bred colt is a half brother to 2016 La Brea Stakes (G1) victress Constellation. The daughter of Bellamy Road, who was also grade 1-placed at 2 and 4, retired with more than $619,000 in earnings. While in foal to Curlin  , she changed hands for $3.15 million at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale to the Don Alberto operation.

Constellation was the second stakes winner produced from the Not for Love mare For Royalty. A black-type winner herself, For Royalty is also responsible for the multiple stakes-winning gelding Truth Seeker (Into Mischief  ), an earner of $466,500. Kalea Bay became the mare's seventh individual winner from nine foals to race.