Another masterclass from Magnitude: he won the Stephen Foster wire-to-wire

he brilliant son of Not This Time dictated terms from gate to wire to dominate the prestigious Grade 1 fixture at Churchill Downs

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky— Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has a well-known penchant for stepping away from the pre-race hustle and bustle before major events, preferring to watch intently from a quiet distance. This Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, that calm demeanor stood in stark contrast to the absolute electricity generated on the track by Magnitude (Not This Time), who delivered an assertive performance in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1)over 1,800 meters to confirm that he is currently playing the absolute highest notes of his career.

Staring down a star-studded field that featured reigning 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief), White Abarrio (Race Day), Baeza (McKinzie), and Willy D's (Lookin At Lucky), the brilliant four-year-old launched straight to the vanguard out of the gates and never gave his rivals a distinct look at the lead. Under a highly determined ride by José Ortiz, Magnitude effortlessly controlled the fractions over a sloppy track, hitting the wire 1 1/4 lengths clear of a closing Baeza, while Sovereignty—after threatening with a wide-sweeping move around the far turn—flattened out late to check in third, a distant four lengths further adrift.

The victory did not come without an initial moment of high anxiety. While the rest of the field was being loaded into the starting gates, Magnitude anticipated the start and broke through his stall doors prematurely. Fortunately, an alert assistant starter managed to restrain the colt immediately, preventing him from running off and avoiding an automatic scratch.

Once that scare was put behind them, the prominent Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer ran as if nothing had happened. He flashed brilliant early foot to clear the field and flawlessly executed the exact same front-running blueprint he used three months ago to deny Japanese champion Forever Young (Real Steel) in the Dubai World Cup (G1). Not even a sustained, furious late rally from Baeza in the final furlong could truly compromise his advantage.

"What an extraordinary horse he is. This is the kind of perfect story that anyone who loves this sport dreams about. He has climbed the ladder step by step and today he turned back an absolutely spectacular field. It's a deeply special day," an emotional Asmussen remarked post-race. The victory marked Asmussen’s third career triumph in the Stephen Foster, joining legendary champions Curlin (2008) and Gun Runner (2017), both of whom would subsequently be crowned Horse of the Year.

Jockey José Ortiz, who capped off a monumental four-win performance on the Churchill afternoon, also reflected on his phenomenal run of form: "It’s turning out to be an incredible year," noted the pilot, who also serves as the regular rider for Golden Tempo (Curlin), the brilliant recent winner of both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Magnitude stopped the clock in a sharp 1:48.03 for the nine furlongs, protecting a flawless, undefeated 2026 campaign that already includes victories in the Razorback Handicap (G3), the Dubai World Cup (G1), and now the Stephen Foster. His dominant display is widely expected to propel him to the number-one spot in the upcoming National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) weekly poll, overtaking Nysos (Nyquist) as the definitive favorite for Horse of the Year honors.

On the losing side, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott candidly acknowledged he anticipated a much stronger performance from Sovereignty, who suffered his second consecutive defeat of the season. "I truly thought he was going to finish with a lot more energy," Mott explained, adding that regular rider Junior Alvarado reported the champion never seemed to travel as comfortably over the surface as he did during his historic campaign last season.

Regarding the performance of runner-up Baeza, who missed the break entirely and had to close from the tail of the field, Mott noted: "For a brief moment turning for home, I thought he might be able to launch a winning bid, but the lack of pressure up front ultimately favored the lone speed too heavily."

With a staggering $9.8 million in lifetime bankroll and eight victories from just fourteen career starts, Magnitude has firmly solidified his standing as one of the premier thoroughbreds on the global stage. His immediate summer objective is expected to be the historic Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, utilizing the exact same championship blueprint mapped out by Gun Runner before his coronation in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Having already secured an automatic berth into the Classic courtesy of his Dubai triumph, his blowout victory in the Stephen Foster leaves no room for doubt: the dream of replicating that legendary, historic campaign is closer than ever to becoming reality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYySN0sb-x8