Magnitude Mirrors Gun Runner to Win GIII Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn

Magnitude looked every bit the classy colt he showed at three when he opened his 4-year-old season by winning the GIII Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park, the official chart listing the 1 1/16-mile test in 1:42.10 on a fast track and awarding a $292,500 winner’s share from the $500,000 purse. The victory improved the Not This Time colt’s record to MGISP, 12-6-2-1 with $1,584,365 in career earnings and carried Jose L. Ortiz in the saddle for trainer Steven M. Asmussen and owner Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC.

The Equibase/TDN chart shows Magnitude carried 123 pounds, was bred by Ron Stolich in Kentucky, and was a $310,000 weanling and $450,000 yearling purchase. His pedigree line in the chart reads Not This Time out of Rockadelic by Bernardini, with a Werk Nick Rating of A+++. The official chart line identifies the race as RAZORBACK H.-GIII, $500,000, Oaklawn, 2-28, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.10, ft. The original pre-race report had referred to the race at 1 mile and called it the 66th running; the Equibase/TDN chart lists the 1 1/16-mile distance and the 1:42.10 time.

Nu What’s New finished second, carrying 115 pounds for trainer James P. DiVito and jockey Rafael Bejarano, earning his first graded black-type placing. The Munnings gelding came into the Razorback off two emphatic front-running Oaklawn victories—a Dec. 26 maiden score by 7½ lengths in a reported 1:35.52 and a Feb. 5 allowance win by 12½ lengths at 1 1/16 miles—and had shown 2-1 in morning-line programs. TDN’s also-ran list included Echo Again, Woodcourt and Sandman, with Tap Into This scratched.

The result at Oaklawn set off comparisons to Gun Runner’s path under the same trainer and ownership. BloodHorse and local coverage pointed out that nine years earlier Steve Asmussen brought Gun Runner to Oaklawn for the Razorback as a 4-year-old debut; Gun Runner won that edition by 5 3/4 lengths, went on to finish second in the Dubai World Cup before rattling off five consecutive wins, was named 2017 Horse of the Year and later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Asmussen leaned on that history when asked why the Razorback fit: "Pleased with how Gun Runner started his 4-year-old year off after winning the Clark, his previous race, and he had a detour, also," Asmussen said. "He was not allowed to run in the Pegasus that year because of the quarantine at the Fair Grounds. It (Razorback) started his year off fantastically."

After the race Asmussen assessed the performance succinctly: "I think today was his best performance," and TwinSpires’ replay captured the feel with the line, "MAGNITUDE was too classy and opens up in the G3 Razorback at Oaklawn Park for trainer Steve Asmussen with @jose93_ortiz aboard!" Magnitude’s connections now hold a millionaire Grade 2 winner who rejoined Asmussen’s Oaklawn roll call and left with the winner’s share and a season-opening statement; whether the colt follows Gun Runner’s international arc or targets domestic stakes will be the next decision for Winchell and the barn.