Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Magnitude

Feb 18, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Magnitude wins the Risen Star at Fair Grounds. (Photo by Hodges Photo)

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Magnitude picked up 50 points on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series following his 9 3/4-length romp in the $500,000 Risen Star S. (G2) at Fair Grounds on February 15. The Steve Asmussen trainee led at every call and clocked 1 1/8 miles over the fast main oval in 1:48.85 under the guidance of Ben Curtis.

“It was fantastic”, Curtis stated following the race. “It is a pleasure to ride horses like that. The instructions were limited but they were let the horse do what he does and try to get forward. I had all the confidence going out there in the world. He pulled away very well in the stretch and he hit the line strong. Couldn't be happier with the horse, couldn't be happier with the trip.”

💣's away in the G2 Risen Star!

Magnitude goes gate-to-wire and dominates the competition at 43/1 under @_benacurtis for trainer Steve Asmussen!

The 3YO colt picked up 50 points towards the @kentuckyderby! 🌹

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/NLNfNhQRto

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 16, 2025

Chunk of Gold, Built, Vassimo, and American Promise rounded out the top five and earned qualifying points on a 25-15-10-5 structure, respectively.

Magnitude commenced his career at Churchill Downs on June 6 and finished a useful fourth while going 5 1/2 panels in a maiden special weight tilt. The son of Not This Time graduated at Ellis Park in his second appearance when winning in wire-to-wire fashion in a seven-furlong heat on July 20.

Seventh in the Iroquois S. (G3) in his debut with winners next time out, the colt defeated allowance foes in his fourth career endeavor, prior to concluding his juvenile campaign with a runner-up performance in the Gun Runner S. He preceded his Risen Star triumph with a sixth-place result in the Lecomte S. (G3) on January 18, and his lifetime line now reads 7-3-1-0, $446,165.

50 points toward the Road to the @KentuckyDerby goes to Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Magnitude, trained by Steve Asmussen. Rider @_benacurtis goes over his trip in the Grade 2 Risen Star @fairgroundsnola 🌹🌟 with @james_scully111

*Plus Ben talks Yinzer’s maiden win earlier on the… pic.twitter.com/wE3ITCLo7G

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 16, 2025

The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State by Ron Stolich and passed through the auction ring on a pair of occasions. He fetched a bid of $310,000 in 2022 at Keeneland in November as a weanling, prior to bringing the gavel down at $450,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Magnitude registered a lifetime-best 105 Brisnet Speed figure for his victory and has to be taken seriously going forward following his breakthrough tally. The bay sophomore could possibly reappear in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on March 22.