3/1/26 Barn Notes

Compiled by Robert Yates

Magnitude exited his scintillating Razorback Handicap victory in good order and is to return Monday to his Fair Grounds base in advance of a planned trip to the Middle East, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning.

Magnitude was a 3 ¾-length winner of Saturday’s Razorback, a 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 event at Oaklawn that marked his delayed 4-year-old debut. Asmussen was using the Razorback as a prep for the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) March 28 in the United Arab Emirates.

Magnitude, who was ridden by Jose Ortiz, covered 1 1/16 miles in a meet-best 1:42.10, a time that generated a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 102. Magnitude carried top weight of 123 pounds, 8 more than runner-up Nu What’s New.

“Obviously, very happy with the results and the way it went,” Asmussen said. “Great way for him to start off the year. Onward from there.”

Magnitude, the 4-5 favorite, was making his first start since beating older horses in the Clark Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. Magnitude was scheduled to make his 4-year-old debut in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 14 in Saudi Arabia, but he didn’t make the trip because of a minor illness and was rerouted to the Razorback, a race Asmussen and the colt’s owner, Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron and mother Joan Winchell), won in 2017 with Gun Runner, who was also making his 4-year-old debut after winning the Clark.

Gun Runner breezed to a 5 ¾-length victory in the Razorback and in his next start finished second in the Dubai World Cup, the only blemish in a 2017 Horse of the Year campaign.

Magnitude’s trek to the Middle East could be tricky because of sudden military escalation between the United States and Iran.

“There’s a lot going on right now to pay attention to,” Asmussen said. “He goes back to New Orleans tomorrow. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Ortiz was riding Magnitude ($3.60) for the fourth time. Their first victory together was the 1 1/8-mile Clark, when Magnitude edged 2025 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show by a half-length.

“He’s a very nice horse,” Ortiz said. “He’s got that swag that he’s the man. I think we have something special. Obviously Steve, he’s won over 10,000 races and is a Hall of Famer. He knows what he has and what he has to do with him. So, I’m very confident in Steve and I appreciate the opportunity he and Mr. Ron Winchell gave me to ride this amazing horse. They’ve got a great team back there.”

Earlier in 2025, Magnitude won the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and Iowa Derby in front-running, blowout fashion. He came from just off the pace in the Clark and shadowed front-running Nu What’s New on the outside in the Razorback before taking command turning for home.

“Honestly, when we hit the first turn, he wanted to take the lead,” Ortiz said. “We’ve been working with him in the mornings, just sitting a half-length off of it, just trying to make him know that he’s OK sitting there and he can still punch home. He seems like he’s taking everything very well. Trying to develop his mind, so that he can do what he did today. You don’t have to go to lead all the time.”

Magnitude, a Kentucky-bred son of Not This Time, raised his career earnings to $1,584,365 after winning for the sixth time in 12 starts. A four-time stakes winner, Magnitude was purchased for $450,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The Razorback is a major local prep for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 18.

The Azeri

Champion Nitrogen was among seven older fillies and mares entered Sunday morning for the $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 7.

The 1 1/16-mile Azeri headlines an 11-race card that begins at 12:30 CST. Probable post time for the Azeri, the ninth race, is 4:44 p.m.

Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Nitrogen collected an Eclipse Award as North America’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2025 after winning six stakes races, including the Alabama (G1) at 1 ¼ miles Aug. 16 at Saratoga. Nitrogen opened 2026 with a 2 ¾-length victory in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 7 at Oaklawn.

The Azeri field from the rail out: Perfect Shot, Erik Asmussen to ride, 121 pounds; Nitrogen, Jose Ortiz, 121; Majestic Oops, Francisco Arrieta, 119; Quietside, Ramon Vazquez, 119; Regaled, Joe Ramos, 119; La Cara, Cristian Torres, 119; and Standoutsensation, Luis Saez, 121.

Majestic Oops returns to two turns after launching her 2026 campaign with a sharp 3 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older fillies and mares at six furlongs Feb. 13.

Trainer Dan Ward was originally targeting the $250,000 Matron Stakes at six furlongs March 27. But co-owner Agave Racing (Mark Martinez) also has an interest in Arkansas-bred star Haulin Ice, who is scheduled to make her next start in the Matron.

“The Matron is not graded and their goal is to win a graded stake with her and increase her value,” Ward said Sunday morning. “The Azeri is a Grade 2 and she’s won a couple of races around two turns at this track. She’s on top of her game now. Now is the time to try it.”

The Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at 1 1/16 miles April 11.

Finish Lines

Following Sunday’s card, racing resumes Thursday at Oaklawn. First post is 12:30 p.m. CST. … Talkin in Cursive ($8.80) marked the first career Oaklawn victory for New York-based trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci in Thursday’s second race. Kantarmaci

has a string at Oaklawn the first time this season. D’code, eighth as the favorite in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6, is “getting a little R&R” and won’t run again at the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting, trainer H. Ray Ashford Jr. said Sunday morning. D’code, in his only other lifetime start, ran the fastest six furlongs for a 2-year-old in Oaklawn history (1:09.57) in a Dec. 14 maiden special weight. … Publisher, the 2025 Arkansas Derby runner-up, is entered in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles March 7 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Publisher has bankrolled $559,396 in 13 lifetime starts, which includes a 5 3/4-length maiden romp at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 15. “So proud of him,” Asmussen said. “What a cool horse.”