Coolmore Has Secured Magnitude, and the Champion Will Stand at Ashford Stud

The powerful son of Not This Time, one of the top figures in global racing, has been acquired as a future stallion by the Irish giant. Before beginning his breeding career, he will continue to defend the colors of Winchell Thoroughbreds, with the Whitney Stakes (G1) set as his next major objective

MIDWAY, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).- One of the most sought-after horses in recent memory now has a confirmed destination. The partners at Coolmore announced this Monday an agreement with Winchell Thoroughbreds to acquire the breeding rights to Magnitude, one of the brightest stars in American and global racing.

The bay colt, who will remain in training under the care of Steven Asmussen through the remainder of his racing career, will subsequently join the stallion roster at Ashford Stud, Coolmore's Kentucky base, where he will launch a stud career surrounded by tremendous anticipation.

The deal comes at the absolute peak of the form for the son of Not This Time, undefeated in his 4-year-old campaign and established as a leading contender for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

His international coronation came in March when he wire-to-wire dominated the Dubai World Cup (G1), authoritatively defeating Japanese sensation Forever Young (Real Steel) at Meydan. That performance confirmed the high potential he had flashed since the dawn of his career, a standing he further cemented weeks later with another top-level triumph in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs.

That victory, beyond boosting his career bankroll past 9.6 million dollars, automatically secured him a berth in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), set to take place at Keeneland.

Magnitude had already provided abundant proof of his talent during his sophomore season. After romping by a jaw-dropping 9 3/4 lengths in the Risen Star Stakes (G2), a setback delayed his spring campaign. However, he made a sensational return to action with a 9 1/4-length victory in the Iowa Derby (L), before capping off a rock-solid second half of the year with a third-place effort in the Travers Stakes (G1), a runner-up finish in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), and an older-horse victory in the Clark Stakes (G2).

Bred in Kentucky by Ron Stolich, Magnitude pairs his stellar race record with a deeply attractive pedigree. He is a son of leading North American sire Not This Time out of Rockadelic (Bernardini), whose dam is the outstanding Octave(Unbridled's Song), winner of both the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Mother Goose Stakes (G1), as well as runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and third in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

Speaking on behalf of Ashford Stud, Charlie O'Connor made no secret of his excitement regarding the high-profile addition: "Magnitude has proven to be an extraordinarily powerful horse, blending immense speed, balance, and outstanding determination. His performances in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan and the Stephen Foster made his immense quality crystal clear. We have followed him closely since that spectacular win in the Risen Star and believe he possesses every single attribute required to become a top-tier stallion. On top of that, he is physically imposing and possesses marvelous presence. We are thrilled to have reached this agreement with Ron Winchell and look forward to welcoming him to Ashford upon the conclusion of his racing career."

From the ownership side, Ron Winchell highlighted both the sporting significance of the colt and the peace of mind that comes with securing his future at one of the world's premier stud farms: "Magnitude is a deeply special horse for our family and has given us some of our greatest moments on the racetrack. Knowing that when the time comes he will begin his stallion career at Ashford gives us complete confidence that he will receive the absolute best support possible. But for now, our entire focus remains on the second half of his campaign, with the Whitney Stakes (G1) as our next primary target."

As the clock ticks toward the Breeders' Cup, Coolmore has made a strategic move looking toward the future. Magnitude still has significant chapters to write on the track, but when the moment arrives to hang up his racing plates, one of international turf's most promising young stallion prospects will have a stall waiting for him at Ashford Stud.