Magnitude (horse)

Magnitude (foaled March 12, 2022) is an active American thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2026 Dubai World Cup and 2026 Stephen Foster Stakes.

Magnitude
Magnitude's Racing Silks
Breed	Thoroughbred
Sire	Not This Time
Grandsire	Giant's Causeway
Dam	Rockadelic
Damsire	Bernardini
Sex	Colt
Foaled	(2022-02-22) February 22, 2022 Kentucky, USA
Country	USA
Color	Bay
Breeder	Ron Stolich
Owner	Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC
Trainer	Steve Asmussen
Jockey	José Ortiz
Record	14: 8-2-1
Earnings	US$9,782,365
Major wins
Risen Star Stakes (2025) Iowa Derby (2025) Clark Stakes (2025) Razorback Handicap (2026) Dubai World Cup (2026) Stephen Foster Stakes (2026)

Background

Magnitude is trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC. He was bred by Ron Stolich in Kentucky.

Magnitude's sire is Not This Time, the winner of the 2016 Iroquois Stakes. Not This Time has produced multiple graded stakes winners before Magnitude, siring the likes of Epicenter, Up to the Mark, and Rhetorical.

Not This Time's sire is Giant's Causeaway, the winner of the 1999 Prix de la Salamandre, the 2000 St James's Palace Stakes, the 2000 Eclipse Stakes, the 2000 Sussex Stakes, the 2000 International Stakes, and the 2000 Irish Champion Stakes. After retiring, Giant's Causeaway went on to produce multiple graded stakes winners and producers, including Not This Time. Giant's Causeaway was out of Mariah's Storm and by Storm Cat, the former a multiple time graded stakes winner, and the latter the Leading Sire in North America in 1999 and 2000.

Magnitude's dam is Rockadelic. The mare was by Bernardini and out of Octave. She raced once at Delaware Park in a Maiden Special Weight, finishing 7th. She shortly retired afterwards to have a career as a broodmare.

Bernardini was the 2006 Withers Stakes, 2006 Preakness Stakes, the 2006 Jim Dandy's Stakes, the 2006 Travers Stakes, and the 2006 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner. Bernardini was out Cara Rafaela, a Quiet American mare who won the 1995 Alcibiades Stakes and was the 2006 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year; and he was by A.P Indy, the Leading Sire in North America in 2003 and 2006 and time multiple Grade 1 winner. When Bernardini retired to stud, he produced multiple graded stakes winners. He went on to have a great career as a broodmare sire as well, being the broodmare sire of 2025 and 2026's Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winners Sovereignty and Golden Tempo.

Octave was the winner of the 2006 Adirondack Stakes, the 2007 Mother Goose Stakes, and the 2007 Coaching Club American Oaks. She came in second in the 2007 Kentucky Oaks to Rags to Riches, a filly who later became the first filly in 102 years to win the Belmont Stakes. Octave was by Unbridled Song and her grandsire was Unbridled, two stallions who were multiple time graded stakes winners and producers.

Magnitude comes from family 3-e, a thoroughbred family that has produced multiple successful racehorses. Some of the notable horses family 3-e has produced include; Palestine, the 1950 2000 Guinness Stakes Winner; Wajima, the 1975 Travers Stakes Winner; Wild Again, the inaugural Breeders' Cup Classic Winner in 1984; and Sunday Silence, the 1989 Kentucky Derby, 1989 Preakness Stakes, and 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic Winner.

Racing career

2024: two-year-old season

In 2024 Magnitude raced 5 times, winning twice. He debuted at Churchill Downs on June 6, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and finished 4th. On July 20, he then broke his maiden at Ellis Park, ridden by Erik Asmussen. On September 14, he started in his first graded race, the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs. He was ridden again by Tyler Gaffalione and finished 7th. On November 17, Magnitude raced in an Allowance Optional Claiming race at Churchill Downs. Ridden by Erik Asmussen, he won the race. Magnitude finished his 2024 season on December 21 in the Listed Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds. This was the first of many races he entered that are a part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. Ridden by José Ortiz, he finished 2nd, and earned 5 points towards entering the Kentucky Derby.

2025: three-year-old season

In his Classic year Magnitude started the season by racing in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes on January 18 at Fair Grounds. Ridden by José Ortiz, Magnitude finished 6th. On February 15 at Fair Grounds, Magnitude raced in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes. Ridden by Ben Curtis, after the gate opened, Magnitude took the lead. Once he entered the homestretch, he lengthened his lead to win it by 9+3⁄4 lengths and set a new track record for the race. Winning the race awarded him 50 points towards the Kentucky Derby; his points totalling up to 55 after the Risen Star Stakes. This guaranteed Magnitude a spot in the race, however, he had to miss the Triple Crown season due to an ankle chip injury. Sovereignty would later go on to win the 2025 Kentucky Derby and 2025 Belmont Stakes, while Journalism would win the 2025 Preakness Stakes.

After recovering from his injury, Magnitude made a comeback on July 5, starting in the Listed Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows. Ridden by Ben Curtis, he finished the race led from start to finish and won the race by 9+1⁄4 lengths. Magnitude then entered his first Grade 1 race, the Travers Stakes, on August 23 at Saratoga, once again ridden by Ben Curtis. Also entered in the race was the year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty. Magnitude got a clean start after gate opened and led the pack for a majority of the race. However, in last corner he was passed by Bracket Buster and Sovereignty. The two then dueled for lead in homestretch, and the race was won by Sovereignty, while Magnitude finished 3rd, 20+3⁄4 lengths behind. He then was entered in another Grade 1 race on September 20, starting in the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing racetrack. Ridden by Ben Curtis, after the gate opened, Magnitude settled in the middle of the pack. On homestretch, he attempted to pass Baeza, who placed 3rd in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, but failed, finishing 2nd.

Magnitude wrapped up the 2025 season by starting in the Grade 2 Clark Stakes on November 28 at Churchill Downs as the favorite. Ridden by José Ortiz, after gate opened Magnitude battled the 2025 Kentucky Derby alumni Chunk of Gold for the lead, but settled for 2nd. On the homestretch, he dueled Chunk of Gold again, and got the lead from him with 100 meters left in the race. He held the lead from the incoming Hit Show, the 2025 Dubai World Cup Winner, and won by 1+1⁄2 lengths. By the end of the season, he had started 6 times and won thrice.

2026: four-year-old season

Magnitude was initially going to begin his four year old season by starting in the Grade 1 Saudi Cup. However, the horse developed a fever and was unable to shuttle to Saudi Arabia for the race. Instead, Magnitude began the season by starting in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park on February 28, ridden by José Ortiz. Nu What's New led the pack for the majority of the race, with Magnitude positioned closely behind him. Magnitude took the lead from the outside towards the end of the race, and won by 3+3⁄4 lengths.

Continuing to mirror the racing schedule of Gun Runner, a previous horse trained by Steve Asmussen, Magnitude was entered in the Dubai World Cup after his victory at Oaklawn Park. The 2025 Breeder's Cup Classic winner and dual 2025 and 2026 Saudi Cup winner Forever Young was also entered in the race. His team sought to win the race after Forever Young had lost it the previous year. On March 28, the race was held at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates, with a field of 9. It was held while the United Arab Emirates was involved in the 2026 Iran War. There were some concerns for the participants safety, but ultimately the war had no effect on the race itself. Magnitude lead from the gate and never lost his position, winning the race wire-to-wire. Forever Young attempted to catch up with him at around the 600 meter mark, but was unable to close the distance, leaving Magnitude to win by 1 length. This was Steve Asmussen's second time training a Dubai World Cup winner after Curlin won it in 2008. He had attempted a second win with Gun Runner in 2017, but the horse came in 2nd to Arrogate.

After his success in the Dubai World Cup, Magnitude was shuttled back to the United States to prepare for the Stephen Foster Stakes. The field was initially going to be seven, but two horses were scratched from the race. The field consisted of two horses Magnitude had faced before, Baeza and Sovereignty, and two horses he had not, White Abarrio, a multiple time Grade 1 race winner, and Willy D's. The race was held on June 27 at Churchill Downs. Before the race began, Magnitude busted through the gate after the field loaded. An assistant kept hold of him, and he was promptly reloaded back into the gate after a brief examination. When the race began, Magnitude broke cleanly, leading the pack from the start. He kept his position for the entirety of the race, fending off Baeza and finishing 1+1⁄4 lengths ahead of him. Sovereignty, the favorite, had his second loss in a row after the 2026 Oaklawn Handicap, finishing 5+1⁄4 lengths behind in 3rd. White Abarrio finished 4th and Willy D's finished 5th. After the race, Steve Asmussen said, "11,266 career wins and that’s the first one I’ve ever had after breaking through the gate beforehand."

Currently, out of 3 starts, Magnitude remains undefeated in his 2026 season. He is planned to continue on the Gun Runner Path, targeting the Whitney Stakes, the Woodward Stakes, and the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Racing statistics

Date	Age	Distance	Race	Grade	Track	Surface	Odds	Field	Gate Number	Finish	Winning Time	Winning (Losing) Margin	Winner (2nd Place)	Jockey	Ref
June 6, 2024	2	5+1⁄2 furlongs	Maiden Special Weight		Churchill Downs	Dirt (Fast)	3.21	8	6	4	1:05.77	2+1⁄4 lengths	Conquering Cat	Tyler Gaffalione
July 20, 2024	2	7 furlongs	Maiden Special Weight		Ellis Park	Dirt (Fast)	2.78	9	8	1	1:24.00	5+3⁄4 lengths	(Morlock)	Erik Asmussen
September 14, 2024	2	1 mile	Iroquois Stakes	III	Churchill Downs	Dirt (Fast)	16.01	11	8	7	1:36.08	12 lengths	Jonathan's Way	Tyler Gaffalione
November 17, 2024	2	1+1⁄16 miles	Allowance Optional Claiming		Churchill Downs	Dirt (Fast)	1.48*	5	7	1	1:44.24	1 length	(California Burrito)	Erik Asmussen
December 21, 2024	2	1+1⁄16 miles	Gun Runner Stakes	Listed	Fair Grounds	Dirt (Fast)	2.60	5	3	2	1:43.53	6+3⁄4 lengths	Built	José Ortiz
January 18, 2025	3	1+1⁄16 miles	Lecomte Stakes	III	Fair Grounds	Dirt (Sloppy)	8.20	13	4	6	1:47.07	2+3⁄4 lengths	Disco Time	José Ortiz
February 15, 2025	3	1+1⁄8 miles	Risen Star Stakes	II	Fair Grounds	Dirt (Fast)	43.20	12	13	1	R1:48.85	9+3⁄4 lengths	(Chunk of Gold)	Ben Curtis
July 5, 2025	3	1+1⁄16 miles	Iowa Derby	Listed	Prairie Meadows	Dirt (Good)	0.70*	6	4	1	1:42.26	9+1⁄4 lengths	(Itsmybirthday)	Ben Curtis
August 23, 2025	3	1+1⁄4 miles	Travers Stakes	I	Saratoga	Dirt (Fast)	3.60	5	1	3	2:00.84	20+3⁄4 lengths	Sovereignty	Ben Curtis
September 20, 2025	3	1+1⁄8 miles	Pennsylvania Derby	I	Parx Racing	Dirt (Fast)	10.70	10	3	2	1:48.03	2+1⁄4 lengths	Baeza	Ben Curtis
November 28, 2025	3	1+1⁄8 miles	Clark Stakes	II	Churchill Downs	Dirt (Fast)	2.18*	8	9	1	1:48.69	1+1⁄2 lengths	(Hit Show)	José Ortiz
February 28, 2026	4	1+1⁄16 miles	Razorback Handicap	III	Oaklawn Park	Dirt (Fast)	0.80*	6	5	1	1:42.10	3+3⁄4 lengths	(Nu What's New)	José Ortiz
March 28, 2026	4	1+1⁄4 miles	Dubai World Cup	I	Meydan Racecourse	Dirt (Fast)	15/2	9	2	1	2:04.38	1 length	(Forever Young)	José Ortiz
June 27, 2026	4	1+1⁄8 miles	Stephen Foster Stakes	I	Churchill Downs	Dirt (Sloppy)	2.58	5	5	1	1:48.03	1+1⁄4 lengths	(Baeza)	José Ortiz

An asterisk (*) next to the odds means that Magnitude was the post time favorite.

A R on the time indicates the race was won in record time.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Magnitude, bay colt, March 12, 2022, family 3-e

Sire Not This Time (USA)	Giant's Causeway (USA)	Storm Cat (USA)	Storm Bird (CAN)
			Terlingua (USA)
		Mariah's Storm (USA)	Rahy (USA)
			Immense (USA)
	Miss Macy Sue (USA)	Trippi (USA)	End Sweep (USA)
			Jealous Appeal (USA)
		Yada Yada (USA)	Great Above
			Stem (USA)
Dam Rockadelic (USA)	Bernardini (2003)	A.P. Indy (USA)	Seattle Slew (USA)
			Weekend Surprise (USA)
		Cara Rafaela (USA)	Quiet American (USA)
			Oil Fable (USA)
	Octave (USA)	Unbridled's Song (USA)	Unbridled (USA)
			Trolley Song (USA)
		Belle Nuit (USA)	Dr. Carter (USA)
			Belle Noel (USA)