The primary focus of this series typically is: can this racehorse win at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships? With Stephen Foster Stakes winner Magnitude, that question, in my opinion has been answered emphatically “yes” in his two most recent starts.

Magnitude’s front-running, 1 ¼-length win June 27 in the Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs qualified him for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic via the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series, which he had already done by winning the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline earlier in 2026. Let’s take a closer look at a 4-year-old who profiles to be one of the race’s favorites, provided he maintains his current form.

Accomplishments: Magnitude showed plenty of class early in his career, winning the Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes and Iowa Derby at age 3 and finishing third in the DraftKings Travers Stakes, but his stardom breakout started late last year.

Magnitude rallied to finish second in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and has not lost since. He outfinished Chunk of Gold and Hit Show to win the Grade 2 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare by a half-length Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs then dominated the $500,000 Razorback Handicap by 3 ¾ lengths Feb. 28 at Oaklawn Park in his 4-year-old bow.

The coming-out party for Magnitude came in Dubai when he spurted away from Japanese superstar Forever Young, winner of the 2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, and dug in late for a clear win in the $12 million World Cup March 28. He confirmed his class Saturday at Churchill when 1 ¼ lengths clear of Grade 1 winner Baeza, with 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty 5 ¼ lengths back in third.

Magnitude completed the final quarter-mile in :24.78 after setting the pace in the 1 1/8-mile race, extending his winning streak to four.

Speed Figures: Magnitude earned a new career-best 116 Equibase Speed Figure for the Stephen Foster (he earned a 125 Timeform rating for the Dubai World Cup) and a new top 114 Beyer Speed Figure, six points higher than the 108 he earned for a 9 ¾-length romp in the Risen Star as a 3-year-old. He also earned a new career-top 110 Brisnet speed rating. His last two races have almost certainly been his best. Magnitude is fast and getting faster.

Looking Ahead: The asset that makes Magnitude so dangerous is his tactical speed. He can settle just off the pace and pounce approaching the stretch or go right to the front and control the tempo, and he gets really brave when employing pacesetting tactics with the ability to surge clear leaving the final turn. The bay Not This Time colt has won at six different tracks for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, and scalding-hot jockey Jose Ortiz is his regular rider.

“He beats Forever Young, a horse with 15 starts and $31 million in earnings in races around the world. Then he comes back and beats Sovereignty, who beat him by 15 lengths in the Travers, and Baeza, who beat him in the Pennsylvania Derby,” Asmussen said. “We’re a better horse now than we’ve ever been. We have a lot of year left, but what a great benchmark this is.”

There are a multitude of options for Magnitude’s next start, and he very likely will be favored in whatever race Asmussen and owner Winchell Thoroughbreds decide to target. He should be viewed as an early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic along with the aforementioned Forever Young in what would be an exciting rematch Oct. 31 at Keeneland.