Magnitude ran his approach onto the Highway to the Kentucky Derby for coach Steve Asmussen by romping to a 9 ¾-length upset to win the $500,000 Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes Feb. 15 at Truthful Grounds.
With the Risen Star a part of the Highway to the Kentucky Derby collection, Magnitude earned 50 qualifying factors towards a begin within the Might 3 Kentucky Derby offered by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs. The factors superior Magnitude’s level complete to 55 to position him second on the Kentucky Derby factors leaderboard behind solely 2024 champion 2-year-old male Citizen Bull. Based mostly on historic traits, his complete must be greater than sufficient to safe entry within the 1 1/4-mile Derby. Churchill Downs makes use of qualifying factors as a desire system when the race attracts greater than its 20-horse discipline measurement.
If he runs at Churchill Downs as he did at Truthful Grounds within the Risen Star, Magnitude might contend within the run for the roses. The colt was sharp all through the race, posting the upset at 43-1 odds and whipping all the favorites together with 2024 Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity winner East Avenue, who pale badly and completed in a lifeless warmth for tenth, 22 3/4 lengths behind Magnitude.
Magnitude did what the general public anticipated East Avenue to do within the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star. He burst out on high and proved to be uncatchable in fast fractions of :23.42, :46.92, and 1:10.95.
On the second of two turns, Gun Runner Stakes winner Constructed, who stalked the early tempo, handed a all of a sudden retreating East Avenue and took intention on the winner. Magnitude shortly turned again his bid, nonetheless, and drew clear within the lane underneath jockey Ben Curtis. The winner’s mile break up was 1:36.13, and his last time of 1:48.85 on a quick monitor was the quickest since Truthful Grounds prolonged the space of the Risen Star to 1 1/8 miles in 2020.
Magnitude paid $88.40 to win.
The Irish-born Curtis, who relocated to experience full-time in the USA in 2023, competed within the Kentucky Derby for the primary time final yr and completed eighth aboard Honor Marie.
He mentioned about his experience on Magnitude, “It was implausible. It’s a pleasure to experience horses like that. The directions had been restricted however they had been let the horse do what he does and attempt to get ahead. I had all the boldness going on the market on this planet. He pulled away very nicely within the stretch, and he hit the road robust. Could not be happier with the horse, could not be happier with the journey.”
Constructed flattened out down the stretch and was handed late by one other 43-1 shot, Chunk of Gold, who grabbed the place. The 2 longshots led to an enormous exacta that returned $1,314.70 for a $1 wager.
Constructed, Vassimo, and American Promise rounded out the highest 5 positions. These operating second by way of fifth earned Derby qualifying factors on 25-15-10-5 scale. Constructed, the Lecomte Stakes runner-up and who defeated Magnitude within the Gun Runner Stakes in December, sits third on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 35 factors and is probably going poised to make the eventual Derby discipline. The Risen Star was the primary race this winter to supply 105 Kentucky Derby qualifying factors. Different races will provide such factors over the following month or so earlier than the purpose totals improve additional in probably the most essential last spherical of Kentucky Derby prep races in late March and early April.
Final yr’s Risen Star winner, Sierra Leone, ran second by a nostril within the Kentucky Derby and later gained the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional to finish a 3-year-old championship marketing campaign.
Corridor of Famer Steve Asmussen, North America’s all-time winningest coach, has gained nearly each sort of race. Amongst main races, solely the Kentucky Derby has eluded him, although he has run second thrice together with with Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Epicenter in 2022. Ought to all go nicely within the coming months, it appears each Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds could have one other crack on the prestigious first leg of the Triple Crown with Magnitude, who earned $300,000 to lift his earnings to $446,165 from a document of 3-1-0 in seven begins.
Good Cheer stored her undefeated document intact and sailed to her fifth straight victory with a rousing efficiency within the $282,000 Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes Feb. 15 at Truthful Grounds, the place she demolished her rivals by a widening 6 1/4 lengths.
“She’s actually good. The longer the higher,” coach Brad Cox mentioned.
The 1 1/8 miles of the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks down Churchill Downs’ lengthy stretch ought to fall proper into the 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro’s wheelhouse on the primary Friday in Might.
“Stamina is her calling card,” mentioned possession spokesperson Michael Banahan, Godolphin USA’s director of bloodstock. “She’s a really environment friendly filly, numerous class. It is good to have one like her.”
Godolphin captured the Rachel Alexandra Stakes in 2023 with eventual Kentucky Oaks victress Fairly Mischievous and once more in 2023 with Tarifa, who was additionally skilled by Cox.
Shouldering her approach into the clear on the eighth pole underneath jockey Luis Saez, Good Cheer ($2.10 to win) took the lead within the stretch and exploded to sunlight, ending the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.12 geared down on the end.
“We’re very happy with her and really enthusiastic about her transferring ahead on the Highway to the Kentucky Oaks,” Cox mentioned.
Gowells Delight, fourth final outing within the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park, ran on for runner-up honors.
Gathering her third stakes rating, Good Cheer vaulted to the highest of the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 45 factors. — Molly Rollins
