An untimely, brief, and minor illness kept the 4-year-old colt Magnitude from shipping to Saudi Arabia for the $20 million Saudi Cup in February. A timely, sustained, and major display of speed, professionalism, and stamina won Magnitude the $12 million Dubai World Cup on Saturday at Meydan Racecourse. Magnitude broke like a shot from post 1 under Jose Ortiz, making the lead well before hitting the World Cup’s first turn. He came back beautifully to Ortiz, rating while he dictated tempo down the backstretch. Magnitude kicked for home just before hitting the stretch and had plenty left to hold clear a sustained bid from odds-on favorite and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Forever Young, third as the heavy favorite in the 2025 World Cup, second this time around. “We knew we have a very good horse, but obviously Forever Young was the best horse in the world, and we had to respect that,” said Ortiz, who won his first World Cup. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Now, Magnitude can be mentioned in the same breath as Forever Young – and all the best dirt horses in the world. Magnitude gave trainer Steve Asmussen his second Dubai World Cup following Curlin in 2008. The Asmussen-trained Gun Runner finished second behind Arrogate in 2017, and Magnitude’s path eerily follows Gun Runner’s, who went on to win the Breeder’ Cup Classic in 2017, earning Horse of the Year Honors. Magnitude, like Gun Runner, proved a very good 3-year-old while not quite rising to the top of his class. Magnitude scored a breakout victory in the 2025 Risen Star Stakes 13 months ago at Fair Grounds but came out of the race injured and didn’t start again until last summer. After an easy comeback run in the Iowa Derby, Magnitude finished third, beaten more than 20 lengths by Sovereignty in the Travers, then was second in the Pennsylvania Derby. Gun Runner finished third, beaten 15 lengths in the Travers, and was second in the Pennsylvania Derby. While Gun Runner ran in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Magnitude did not, both colts beat older rivals in the Clark Stakes in November at Churchill Downs, and both won the Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn in their World Cup prep. The big difference here – Magnitude won the World Cup, while Gun Runner ran a winning race in defeat. Asmussen trains Magnitude for his longtime client Ron Winchell, who races as Winchell Thoroughbreds. Following the colt’s injury late last winter, the two put their heads together and formulated a plan – a long-term plan, extending into Magnitude’s 4-year-old season. As with Gun Runner, that’s when Asmussen thought this horse could truly shine. “After the Risen Star, that was what me and Ron talked about,” said Asmussen, who remained in America while longtime assistant trainer Scott Blasi saddled Magnitude on Saturday. “We’re not going to the Derby. What do we focus on now with an extremely talented horse?” Asmussen had Magnitude teed up for a trip to Saudi Arabia. Set to ship from Fair Grounds to Florida, and then overseas, Magnitude ran a little temperature and Asmussen could not put him on a van. The World Cup became the main target, and despite a war literally breaking out in the region late last month, it remained steadfastly so. A groom and exercise rider Carlos Rosas flew to meet Magnitude in Dubai. Rosas has worked for Asmussen forever. He went to Dubai with Curlin, too, and rode him every morning preparing for his World Cup. “Magnitude acted so beautifully. The level of confidence you have in Carlos with what he’s done, he worked him a week ago Saturday, and Carlos said the horse is perfect,” Asmussen said. “Scott got over there Tuesday and said he looks even better in person than on video. The horse’s attitude was just so accepting of what was happening. How he acted pre-race, how he loaded, his first jump.” It was that first jump that determined tactics. Ortiz said options had been left open – go to the lead if that’s how things worked, or stalk the pace if someone else was set on leading. “He jumped well, he put me on the lead, and I was happy to be there,” Ortiz said. Magnitude took no pressure as he ran down the long Meydan backstretch, nor did he put any pressure on Ortiz, rating sweetly, travelling smoothly. Hitting the far turn, Magnitude clipped along under a snug hold, while Forever Young came under mild pressure.   “When I looked to my side passing the 600 meters,” more than halfway around the bend, “I saw Forever Young, and I knew it was time to go. I knew he was the horse to beat. [Magnitude] was there for me.” Magnitude cornered athletically for home, his lead increasing as he straightened for the wire. “Three-eighths out, when he got some separation as easy as he did, it looked pretty good,” Asmussen said. Gun Runner – when he felt the crop in the heat of battle, Asmussen said, he often switched to his wrong lead. That’s what Magnitude did, too, briefly jinking right and giving the impression Forever Young was closing fast. He was not. Ortiz got Magnitude straightened back out and Magnitude hit the line with plenty of run, a one-length winner. It was nearly four lengths back to third-place Meydaan, who made just his second dirt start and performed creditably in defeat. Imperial Emperor finished fourth, and Hit Show, the 2025 World Cup winner, checked in fifth. Magnitude clocked 2:04.38 for 2,000 meters over a fast track, on the slower side for a World Cup at Meydan, though more than a second faster than Hit Show’s winning time. Solid second choice, Magnitude paid $9 on the American tote. Bred in Kentucky by Ron Stolich, Magnitude is by Not This Time and out of the Bernardini mare Rockadelic. He has won three in a row and is now 7 for 13 lifetime. Forever Young might or might not have run back to his Breeders’ Cup Classic, and while he won the Saudi Cup, one might now wonder how things would’ve gone had Magnitude made the trip. Even in defeat, Forever Young became the second horse after the active Romantic Warrior to top $30 million in career earnings. Asmussen demurred when asked if he’d work backward from the BC Classic at Keeneland in plotting the rest of Magnitude’s campaign. The horse remains, after all, in a relatively active war zone. Magnitude is scheduled to fly back to America on April 1, after which he'll spend a short time in Churchill Downs' international quarantine barn. “It’s travel home safely and admire him,” Asmussen said. There’s much to admire here – from horse, jockey, and trainer. And nine months of Magnitude’s 4-year-old season still remain. Gun Runner kept ascending. This colt probably will, too. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.