Jose Ortiz again crosses the finish line first in a major stake under the Twin Spires, Courtney Snow/Past The Wire
Churchill Downs Press
In what was billed as the “Summer Showdown” featuring North America’s top older horses, Dubai World Cup (Grade I) winner Magnitude led every step of the way and defeated Grade I Pennsylvania Derby winner Baeza by 1 ¼ lengths to thrill onlookers in Saturday’s 45th running of the $2 million Stephen Foster (Grade I) at Churchill Downs.
Reigning Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby 151 winner Sovereignty was another four lengths back in third as the 4-5 favorite. Four-time Grade I winning 7-year-old White Abarrio was fourth and 38-1 longshot Willy D’s was fifth.
Jose Ortiz rode Magnitude to victory – his fourth stakes win on the day – for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and owner/breeder Ron Winchell’s Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC.
“What an amazing horse,” Asmussen said. “What a perfect story for all of us. A horse who came through the program, reaching the heights that he has with him beating Forever Young last time and the field that he beat today … what a special day, what a special moment.”
Magnitude, who made a strong case as the world’s top dirt horse, overcame breaking through the starting gate prior to the start of the 1 1/8-mile race, which was run over a “sloppy” dirt surface due to overnight and morning rain. However, gate crew assistant Eric Scherer had a firm hold on the colt’s head gear from the left side and Magnitude could only manage to get one step out.
“11,266 career wins and that’s the first one I’ve ever had after breaking through the gate beforehand,” Asmussen said of monumental win No. 11,267.
When Magnitude returned behind the gate to be reloaded, he broke on top from the outside stall. The same couldn’t be said for Baeza, who was just to his inside in post 4 and hesitated – much like he did when a troubled third in the $750,000 Alysheba (GII) on Kentucky Oaks Day – when the gates sprung open and spotted the field a couple of lengths.
Magnitude clipped off unpressured fractions of :23.88, :47.38 and 1:10.90 as longshot Willy D’s raced in second on the inside 1 ½ lengths back and White Abarrio tracked from third on the outside down the backstretch. Sovereignty was another half-length back in fourth and stablemate Baeza lagged another three lengths behind.
Into the final turn, White Abarrio put away Willy D’s and came within one length of leader Magnitude, who clocked six furlongs in 1:10.90, as Sovereignty ranged three-wide and Baeza began to hit his best stride.
But Magnitude was in a comfortable rhythm, cut the corner at the top of the stretch and spurted three lengths clear. White Abarrio, who defeated Sovereignty in the Oaklawn Handicap (GII) in his previous start, couldn’t keep up this time. Sovereignty moved into second and the on-coming Baeza was rolling wide down the center of the track.
Magnitude, however, refused to relinquish his advantage. Much like he did while defeating $31.7 million-earner and global superstar Forever Young (JPN) in the $12 million Dubai World Cup 91 days ago on March 28, Magnitude wandered a bit inside the final sixteenth of a mile, but he was clearly the best to score by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:48.03 over “sloppy” going.
“He’s an incredible horse,” said Ortiz, who also rode Maxfield to victory in the 2021 Foster. “I figured we’d make the lead if he broke well because he has such a high cruising speed. Sometimes he switches leads, but he just keeps fighting. It was another incredible effort from him today.”
He became the ninth gate-to-wire Stephen Foster winner and first since Asmussen and Winchell’s Dubai World Cup runner-up Gun Runner prevailed in 2017. Asmussen also won the race in 2008 with Curlin, another Dubai World Cup winner. Both Curlin and Gun Runner were named Horse of the Year after winning the Foster.
“People have tried to compare him to some of the great horses we’ve had over the years, and he just keeps living up to the hype,” Winchell said. “I was a little nervous in the stretch, but Jose kept finding more, and so did Magnitude.”
The lofty $1,238,000 first prize lifted the bay Kentucky-bred colt’s earnings to $9,782,365, which now ranks 17th all-time, from a record of 8-2-1 in 14 starts.
At 3, Magnitude won the $500,000 Risen Star (GII), $250,000 Iowa Derby (Listed) and $600,000 Clark (GII). He prepped for his victory in this year’s Dubai World Cup with a victory in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (GIII).
“I’m so incredibly proud of this horse and everyone who has been a part of his journey,” Asmussen said. “He continues to give us everything he has every time he runs. You couldn’t ask for more from a horse like him.”
Off as the 5-2 second betting choice, Magnitude rewarded his backers with mutuels of $7.16, $3.58 and $2.46. Baeza, with Flavien Prat aboard, returned $3.62 and $2.26 at odds of 7-2. Sovereignty was another four lengths back in third under Junior Alvarado and paid $2.10 to show.
“Baeza doesn’t lay down in the gate—he’s just slow away from there and gave himself a lot to do,” said Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott, the trainer of Baeza and Sovereignty. “As for Sovereignty, he just didn’t have the kick he needed today.”
Forged Steel and Navajo Warrior were scratched.
The victory in the Stephen Foster, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In Classic Division” race, earned Magnitude a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the $7 million Longines Classic (GI), which is scheduled for Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Also, his connections will have all Breeders’ Cup pre-entry and entry fees covered and could receive a travel award up to $10,000.
Magnitude is a 4-year-old son of Not This Time out of the Bernardini mare Rockadelic.
