Magnitude backs up his Dubai victory with classy win in Stephen Foster

Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude returns with a victory over a Kentucky Derby winner and a Breeders' Cup Classic winner in Saturday's $2 million Grade I Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. Photo by Julie Clark, courtesy of Churchill DownsJune 29 (UPI) -- Churchill Downs track announcer Travis Stone had it in a nutshell as the field turned into the stretch in Saturday's $2 million, Grade I Stephen Foster: "A World Cup winner, a Classic winner and a Derby winner, 1, 2, 3 with two furlongs to go."

>All three had a chance, but it was the Dubai World Cup winner, Magnitude, who got the job done in the feature event in a big weekend of racing, with action all the way down to some early 2-year-old action under the Twin Spires.

>Starting with ...

>Classic

>Saturday's Stephen Foster had three of the top older horses in training.

Nu What's New wins Sunday's Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs. Photo by Julie Clark, courtesy of Churchill DownsMagnitude was making his first start since winning the Dubai World Cup in March.

>White Abarrio won the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic and was last seen winning the Grade II Oaklawn Handicap.

>Sovereignty won last year's Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Jim Dandy and Travers, but finished second to Sovereignty in his 2026 debut at Oaklawn.

>They came around the stretch turn in the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster looking set for a classic battle to the finish. But only Magnitude had the fortitude to stick with it.

>After breaking through the gate early, he was first away at the official start and never relinquished the lead. As he continued to cruise, Baeza was the only rival still running with a chance and he fell 1 1/4 lengths short of catching Magnitude.

>Sovereignty was third, another 4 lengths in arrears and 4 1/2 lengths in front of White Abarrio. Willie D's picked up a $50,000 check for finishing fifth and last.

>"What an amazing horse," Asmussen said. "What a perfect story for all of us. A horse who came through the program, reaching the heights that he has with him beating Forever Young [in Dubai] last time and the field that he beat today. ... What a special day. What a special moment."

>With the 3-year-old division tilted well in favor of Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo, the Foster outcome points toward an interesting Breeders' Cup Classic, indeed. The race was a "Win and You're In" for that Oct. 31 showdown -- also a target for Forever Young.

>Also in the Classic Division:

>Sabino Canyon got his first victory by 1/2 length in Saturday's $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby, Barbadian Runner took Saturday's $125,000 Deputed Testamony at Laurel Park and Runaway Again won Saturday's Grade III Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine.

>Distaff

>Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs scratched down to just four starters, but that quartet put on quite a show. Turning for home, it looked like the expected virtual match race between Immersive and Shred the Gnar had materialized, with the later taking the lead.

>Then Immersive, on her inside, found another gear, regained the advantage and held on to win by 3/4 length from Regaled, who passed Shred the Gnar for second.

>Immersive, a Godolphin homebred daughter of Nyquist, improved to six wins and four seconds from 10 starts and bumped her earnings past the $2 million mark. Morning-line favorite Splendora was a late scratch. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

>Sprint

>Harrodsburg won Saturday's $275,000 Grade III Bango Stakes at Churchill Downs after morning-line favorite Cornucopian scratched. Deep Flame won Sunday's $250,000 Maxfield for 3-year-old under the Twin Spires. Hymn took Saturday's $175 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park. And Langvad won Saturday's $100,000 Carry Back for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.

>Filly & mare sprint

>Maida won Saturday's $125,000 Alma North Stakes at Laurel Park, and seemingly omnipresent Saffie Joseph Jr. saddled the first-, second- and fourth-place finishers in Saturday's $100,000 Musical Romance Handicap at Gulfstream Park with Kerry's Kiss up for the win.

>Dirt mile

>Sunday's $300,000 Grade III Hanshin at Churchill Downs had a lineup that looked to include some prospects for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Nu What's New led from the early jumps and won by 1 1/2 lengths over Owen Almighty.

>The also-rans included Coal Battle, Neoequos, Crazy Mason and the favorite, Imagination, who finished next-last of 10.

>Turf

>Lagynos, given a smooth stalking trip by jockey Jose Santos, took the lead at mid-stretch in Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs and held on for a 3/4-length victory over Mercante.

>Lagynos, a 5-year-old son of Kantharos trained by Steve Asmussen for HRH Prince Sultan bin Mishal Al Saud, ran 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:41.68. It was his fifth straight win.

>Also, Alpyland won Saturday's $275,000 American Derby at Churchill Downs, Thundering won Saturday's Japan Racing Association Turf Cup at Laurel Park. McCready won Saturdays off-the-turf $150,000 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park. And Giocoso took Saturday's $250,000 Texas Turf Classic at Lone Star Park.

>Filly & mare turf

>Tam Tam won Saturday's $225,000 Tepin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs, Miss Fulton Gal took Saturday's off-the-turf $100,000 Christiana Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Delaware Park and Sweet Rebecca was victorious in Saturday's $125,000 Wasted Tears Stakes at Lone Star Park.

>Turf sprint

>Miss Vyvyanne Saturday's $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II bet365 Highlander Stakes at Woodbine. Shifty took Saturday's $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III HPI Bet Royal North Stakes for fillies and mares on the same turf.

>Usually Wrong won Saturday's $125,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint at Lone Star Park. Miss Code West won Saturday's $125,000 Chicken Fried Stakes for fillies and mares at Lone Star Park.

>The 2-year-olds

>It was only 6 furlongs and more than 10 months before the first Saturday in May, but for what it's worth, Blessed Flyer chased down front-running He Is No Lie to win Sunday's $225,000 Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs by a head.

>The Dialed In colt was dismissed at odds of nearly 32-1 despite having won his only previous start -- one of those 4 1/2-furlong sprints at Keeneland.

>In the companion Debutante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, Pierette stalked the pressured pace set by Epic Reign and got by late to win by 1 1/2 lengths. The Girvin filly, trained by Mark Casse, remains undefeated after two starts.

>Around the world, around the clock

>Ireland

>Benvenuto Cellini started Sunday's Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby with all four feet on the Curragh ground and that, plus the usual well-measured ride by Ryan Moore, was all the Frankel colt needed to erase the bad memory of the Betfred Derby on Epsom Downs earlier in the month.

>Sweeping up on the outside, Benvenuto Cellini worked his way past a brave Epsom winner Christmas Day and Epsom seventh Pierre Bonard to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The three provided trainer Aidan O'Brien a sweep of the placings and his 18th victory in the Classic. That tally now includes four in a row.

>Benvenuto Cellini finished 10th in the Derby at Epsom, but was ruled a nonstarter when an overhead replay found one of his back legs was resting on a ledge when the gates opened, preventing a solid first step.

>Estrange rallied outside rivals and dominated the final 2 furlongs of Saturday's Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

>The striking, light gray Night of Thunder 5-year-old, with Danny Tudhope up for trainer David O'Meara, got home 1 1/2 lengths better than One Look with Red Letter third and the Epsom Oaks winner, Thundering On, stalling out late to finish fourth.

>On Saturday at the Curragh, Aidan O'Brien got his 2-year-olds on the right track with a 1-2-3 finish in the Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden with Giant Sequoia drawing clear late under Ryan Moore to win by 2 1/4 lengths from Oklahoma. It was another 3 3/4 lengths to Shakespeare in third.

>Sun Goddess added to the day's delights for Coolmore, O'Brien and Moore with a workmanlike score in the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

>Ballinea Star and stablemate Immortal Guard edged past front-running, odds-on favorite Confucius in the final furlong of Saturday's Group 3 Jebel Ali Racecourse Anglesey Stakes for 2-year olds and finished 1-2, respectively.