Magnitude scored in front-running fashion to win the Grade 1 $2 million Stephen Foster Stakes June 27 at Churchill Downs. Baeza was second after breaking slowly from the gate, followed by last year's Horse of the Year Sovereignty in third. White Abarrio and Willy D's completed the order of finish in the five-horse field.

Standout 4-year-old Magnitude was dialed-in versus the star-studded field for trainer Steve Asmussen. He took charge from the start and dominated wire to wire under jockey Jose Ortiz, leaving the other Grade 1 winners in his wake. Only Baeza made the race somewhat close late, mounting a belated rally from last after a tardy start. Reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty was another four lengths back in third, his bid fizzling through the stretch after a second-turn advance.

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Magnitude crossed the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front, running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.03 over a sloppy track after breaking through the gate prior to the start. He paid $7.16 to win.

Though the eventual start went flawlessly for Magnitude, Asmussen did have some nervous moments watching from trackside when Magnitude busted through the gate just as the field loaded ahead of the break. To his relief, an assistant starter in the gate with Magnitude kept hold of the colt, and a run-off situation and possible scratch were avoided.

Reloaded moments later after a quick examination, Magnitude proceeded as if the incident had never happened. He was away sharply and able to quickly spurt clear in front under a hustling ride from Ortiz. Magnitude did the rest and turned back all challengers, just as he had in defeating Japanese star Forever Young three months earlier in the $12 million Dubai World Cup. Those victories followed pace-pressing victories in the Feb. 28 Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park, and last fall's Grade 2 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs.

"What an amazing horse," said a jubilant Asmussen. "Reaching the heights that he has with him beating Forever Young last time, and then the field that he beat today. What a special day, what a special moment."

Magnitude's perfection this year, punctuated by Saturday's triumph against a star-studded field, is likely to send him to the top of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll — a media poll that rates horses bidding to become Horse of the Year. Magnitude had been second behind Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitation Handicap winner Nysos in the last round of voting earlier in the week.

Future races, both for Nysos and Magnitude, will go a long way toward determining Horse of the Year — plus what Baeza, Sovereignty, and 3-year-old Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets winner Golden Tempo accomplish in the months ahead.

Ortiz is also the rider of Golden Tempo, and that colt's achievements as well as Magnitude's leave him as the front-runner to be champion jockey six months into the season.

"It's been an amazing year," Ortiz said.

Favored Sovereignty, racing at Churchill Downs for the first time since winning the 2025 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve over a sloppy track, lost for the second time in as many starts this year. He had been second to White Abarrio in the April 18 Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park in his seasonal debut when his first start since winning last summer's Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

Magnitude. (Casey Laughter/Eclipse Sportswire)

Hall of Famer Bill Mott trains both the second- and third-place finishers. Mott commented that "the pace was a little soft" for Baeza and noted that Sovereignty's jockey Junior Alvarado acknowledged the field got away from him on the backstretch. Urged into action on the second turn by Alvarado, Sovereignty reached contention but couldn't sustain his bid.

"I thought he'd finish better than that," Mott said.

Winning owner Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds said Magnitude would likely follow a Gun Runner-like campaign over the rest of the year, meaning that Saratoga should be the next destination for Magnitude with the obvious fall goal being the Oct. 31 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland. The $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes Aug. 8 at Saratoga appears to be a likely spot.

Magnitude made $1,176,000 Saturday to advance his career earnings to $9,782,365 from a record 8-2-1 in 14 starts. His Stephen Foster victory was his sixth in stakes company.

The Stephen Foster was part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series, providing an automatic, paid berth into the Breeders' Cup Classic, an award Magnitude already had earned when capturing the Dubai World Cup.

Immersive Back in Winning Form in Fleur De Lis

The matchup of Grade 1 winners Immersive and Shred the Gnar proved to be a thriller in the $483,500 Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes on June 27 at Churchill Downs.

Immersive. (Casey Laughter/Eclipse Sportswire)

Immersive showed the heart that made her champion 2-year-old filly of 2024 in a win that left the on-track crowd cheering. After racing in a virtual match race with Shred the Gnar for the majority of the 1 1/8-mile contest, Immersive prevailed by three-quarters of a length at the finish. Late closing Regaled wound up passing Shred the Gnar late for the second spot.

Immersive at one point fell about a length behind Shred the Gnar but then re-took command with a furlong to go and outlasted Regaled's late bid. The winning bay filly completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.51 over a sloppy, sealed racetrack with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.

With the win, Immersive kept her record of finishing in the exacta for all 10 of her career starts intact. She ascended to multi-millionaire status by increasing her earnings to $2,262,400.

The victory clinched Immersive a spot in the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff Oct. 31 at Keeneland through the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win And You're In" series. Trainer Brad Cox indicated Immersive's next start toward that goal will likely come at Saratoga.