Magnitude ill, will not run in Saudi Cup

The 4-year-old colt Magnitude won’t travel for the February 14 Saudi Cup after contracting an illness.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning that Magnitude had spiked a fever and would not ship from his Fair Grounds base to Florida, where a plane carrying American horses to Saudi Arabia leaves Monday morning.

Magnitude won the Clark Stakes in late November to cap his 3-year-old campaign and since has been aimed at the $20 million Saudi Cup, a one-turn dirt race over about 1 1/8 miles. The colt breezed Thursday at Fair Grounds in his final major workout for the race.

Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and champion Forever Young heads the Saudi Cup field, which still is expected to include several other American horses, including Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos. Bob Baffert trains Nysos and also, according to a Friday release from the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, will run Nevada Beach. The release said that six American runners, including Magnitude, were expected for the Saudi Cup, but went on to list seven horses. The others are Banishing, Bishop’s Bay, Hit Show, and Rattle N Roll.

But trainer Brad Cox confirmed Sunday that Hit Show will run in the Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds as a prep for the Dubai World Cup.

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