Prat lands on Magnitude for Breeders' Cup Classic
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Flavien Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award winning jockey, will ride Magnitude in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday.
Prat, who won the 2024 Classic on Sierra Leone and the 2022 Classic on Flightline, picks up the mount as Jose Ortiz, aboard Magnitude for his last six starts, will keep his seat aboard Golden Tempo, on whom he won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes earlier this year.
Asmussen said he’s happy to have Prat but added, “Yes, I was surprised” that Ortiz didn’t stay with Magnitude, on whom Ortiz won the Dubai World Cup and Stephen Foster earlier this year.
Asmussen said he plans to have Prat work Magnitude this Sunday at Keeneland.
Steve Rushing, agent for Jose Ortiz, said it was a difficult decision, but one made in part because he understands Golden Tempo is scheduled to remain in training in 2027 while this is expected to be Magnitude’s final race.
“You can make a case for either one,” Rushing said. “He’s won major races on both horses. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong decision to be made. It’s great to be in that position.”
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