Steve Asmussen isn't necessarily the most exuberant trainer in the sport, but he couldn't contain his emotions after Magnitude (Not This Time) won Saturday's loaded GI Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs. Three days later, little had changed as he appeared on the Thoroughbred Daily New Writers' Podcast presented by Keeneland. Asmussen, the Gainesway Guest of the Week, couldn't hide his pride or passion.
When asked if Magnitude is edging closer to becoming one of the best horses the Hall of Famer has ever trained, he replied: “I've thought about that a lot since Saturday. This was obviously an extremely emotional victory for the team. We just wanted validation of what he had done in Dubai in beating Forever Young. Then they assemble Sovereignty, White Abarrio and Baeza to run against us. This race really showed how special a horse he is. For him to have beaten Forever Young in Dubai and then come back over here and beat the Derby winner at Churchill and two of the hottest older horses in th sport as well, what else could you ask for as far as validation from a race horse to prove how good he is?”
Magnitude went just 3-for-6 in 2025 and was beaten by 20 3/4 lengths when facing Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Travers Stakes. Why is he so much better this year?
“The talent has been there,” Asmussen said. “Now, it's the confidence. He's grown into a man and he's been giving us the results that we're getting. But the talent has always been there and it's just a culmination of him being exactly where he needs to be mentally and physically to get done what he's getting done.”
There were some anxious moments as Magnitude broke through the gate prior to the start.
“You could have knocked me out with a feather,” the trainer said. “My anticipation and expectation of how fast he was about to run was at an all-time high. And with that variable at that exact moment, it made you recalculate everything you're thinking. How much did that take out of him? And they reload him and when they open the gates the willingness was there. There was no hesitation in the first two jumps, How special is that?”
The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was Magnitude. He earned a 114 Beyer figure in that race. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the sire Constitution.
Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, the KTOB, and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley, and Zoe Cadman reviewed the Stephen Foster and made note of the huge race run by Baeza (McKinzie), who got off to a poor start before finishing second. Finley gave his report from closing day at Aqueduct and the team previewed the three big stakes that will be run Saturday at Saratoga.
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