Churchill Downs Update: Magnitude Breezes Five Furlongs in 1:02.60 for $2 Million Stephen Foster

May 24, 2026

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Dubai World Cup (Grade I) winner Magnitude continued his preparation toward the $2 million Stephen Foster (GI) on June 27 with a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.60 Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Magnitude worked just after 6 a.m. ET on a fast track. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“He worked great this morning,” Asmussen said. “I’m very happy with how he’s doing and really looking forward to the matchup in the Stephen Foster.”

Magnitude began his career at Churchill Downs in June 2024 and has since recorded victories in the Clark Stakes presented by Norton Healthcare (GII), Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes (GII), Razorback Handicap (GIII) and Iowa Derby (Listed). The 4-year-old son of Not This Time scored the biggest victory of his 13-race résumé when he went gate-to-wire in the March 28 Dubai World Cup.

Asmussen is a two-time winner of the Stephen Foster with Curlin (2008) and Gun Runner (2017). Both horses went on to earn Horse of the Year honors and became two of the sport’s most influential stallions.

Four horses have used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of Horse of the Year campaigns. Along with Gun Runner and Curlin, the others are Black Tie Affair (1991) and Saint Liam (2005). In addition, two Stephen Foster runners-up were later crowned Horse of the Year: Mineshaft (2003) and Wise Dan (2012).

Nominations for the 1 1/8-mile “Summer Showdown” will close Wednesday, June 10.

The Stephen Foster is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In Classic Division, where the winner will earn an automatic berth into the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Keeneland Race Course. The winner will also have pre-entry and entry fees covered and could receive a travel award of up to $10,000.

To purchase tickets to Stephen Foster Day at Churchill Downs, please visit: https://www.churchilldowns.com/visit/spring-meet/stephen-foster-day.

SPECIAL ALL-TURF, ALL-STAKES PICK 4 OFFERED ON SATURDAY’S STEPHEN FOSTER PREVIEW DAY – Churchill Downs will offer a special all-turf, all-stakes Pick 4 on Saturday’s Stephen Foster Preview Day that includes the $275,000 Arlington (Grade III), $275,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (GIII), $275,000 Regret (GIII) and $275,000 Audubon (Listed).

Saturday’s 11-race program gets underway at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the all-turf Pick 4 beginning in Race 5 at 2:47 p.m.

The sequence:

Race 5 (2:47 p.m.), $275,000 Audubon Stakes (Listed), 3yo, 1 1/8 M (T) (10 entries)
Race 7 (3:53 p.m.), $275,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (GIII), f&m, 4&up, 1 1/16 M (T) (nine entries)
Race 9 (4:56 p.m.), $275,000 Regret (GIII), 3yo f, 1 1/8 M (T) (nine entries)
Race 11 (5:59 p.m.), $275,000 Arlington (GIII), 3yo, 1 1/16 M (T) (11 entries)
The special wager is a 50-cent base denomination and has a 22% takeout.

Stephen Foster Preview Day was inaugurated in 2020 to provide horses a local prep for the blockbuster June 27 Stephen Foster Day at Churchill Downs. Overall, Saturday’s card features seven stakes races worth $1.975 million in purses, led by the $300,000 Blame (GIII), a local prep for the $2 million Stephen Foster (GI).

For more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

DERBY CITY 6 JACKPOT STANDS AT $159,902 FOR SUNDAY’S CARD – Horseplayers will have a substantial jackpot to chase Sunday at Churchill Downs with the Derby City 6 Jackpot standing at $159,902.

The Derby City 6 Jackpot has a 20-cent minimum denomination with low 15% takeout and requires bettors to have the only winning ticket to take down the jackpot. If there are multiple winning tickets, 90% of the day’s pool is paid out with 10% carrying to the next race day. If there are no winning tickets, the entire day’s pool is carried to the next race day.

Sunday’s wager covers Races 5-10, beginning at 2:46 p.m. (all times Eastern):

Race 5 (2:46 p.m.), MC 30000, 3&up, 1 1/16 M (10 entries)
Race 6 (3:19 p.m.), Mdn 120k, f&m, 3&up, 1 1/16 M (Off the Turf) (16 entries, 12 eligible to run)
Race 7 (3:51 p.m.), Clm 20000n2L, 3&up, 6 ½ F (10 entries)
Race 8 (4:23 p.m.), OC 80000n2x, f&m, 3&up, 1 1/16 M (six entries)
Race 9 (4:56 p.m.), Alw 127000n1x, 3&up, 1 3/8 M (T) (13 entries, 12 eligible to run)
Race 10 (5:27 p.m.), MC 50000, f&m, 3&up, 6 F (13 entries, 12 eligible to run)
The main track was sealed Sunday at 10 a.m. Races 3 and 6 were taken off the turf but Race 9 remained on the grass, which was listed as firm.

DOWN THE STRETCH – It was a busy Sunday morning for jockey Florent Geroux. The 39-year-old rider scored a victory late Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita Park, then boarded a red-eye flight and touched down shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday in Cincinnati. He then drove to Churchill Downs to work undefeated 3-year-old Crude Velocity, who sizzled five furlongs in :58.80. … Jockey Luis Saez rode four winners on Saturday’s 11-race card to move into third in the Spring Meet standings. Through Saturday, Irad Ortiz Jr. led all riders with 29 victories, followed by Jose Ortiz with 25 and Saez with 15. Tyler Gaffalione ranked fourth with 14 wins and Ben Curtis rounded out the top five with nine. In the trainer standings, Wesley Ward had the lead with 10 victories, followed by Joe Sharp with nine, Steve Asmussen with eight, Kenny McPeek with seven and Brad Cox and Will Walden with six apiece. David Jacobson led all owners with four wins from 18 starts. … For the latest information on the Churchill Downs Spring Meet and to purchase tickets, visit www.churchilldowns.com.