Magnitude Lands The Dubai World Cup
Magnitude And Forever Young Settle A Score
America reclaimed the world's most prestigious dirt prize on Saturday night when the 4YO Not This Time colt Magnitude swept to an authoritative victory in the US$12,000,000 Gr.1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan, defying considerable market expectations and denying the celebrated Japanese superstar Forever Young on the grandest stage the sport can offer. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and ridden with cool precision by Jose Ortiz from draw one, the Winchell Thoroughbreds representative confirmed himself among the most accomplished dirt performers of his generation on a landmark night of international racing at the iconic Meydan circuit.
Breaking promptly from stall one, Ortiz settled his mount comfortably in the nine-runner field, tracking the pace over the 2,000m dirt trip in a prominent position from which to strike as the race developed. Gradually advancing his challenge rounding the home turn, the progressive 4YO produced a decisive burst of pace in the straight to put the contest beyond the world-rated favourite Forever Young, who had been ridden by Ryusei Sakai and arrived carrying the highest official rating in the field at 128.
The Japanese 5YO had entered this race as the clear market leader on the strength of consecutive Gr.1 Saudi Cup victories at King Abdulaziz Racecourse and the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, firmly establishing himself as one of the most decorated dirt performers in the history of international racing, but found the younger American one step too good on the night. Meydaan, the 5YO Frankel gelding representing Simon and Ed Crisford and partnered by William Buick, ran on with considerable credit to secure third behind the leading pair in a performance that confirmed his outstanding affinity for the Meydan dirt surface across the course of an exceptional current Carnival season.
Asmussen Claims A Second Dubai World Cup
The triumph represented a deeply significant moment for Asmussen, who had last tasted Dubai World Cup success with the outstanding Curlin in 2008, returning to the winner's enclosure at Meydan after more than seventeen years with a horse who has demonstrated a similarly progressive profile across his career at the highest level.
The 4YO son of Not This Time arrived at Meydan in outstanding form following his dominant seasonal reappearance in the Gr.3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park in late February, a performance that underlined the considerable talent Asmussen had been carefully developing throughout the campaign. In the aftermath of that Oaklawn success, the trainer was candid in his assessment, telling Oaklawn Racing that the colt had "always had a tremendous amount of talent" and calling the run his best performance to date, words that were emphatically borne out at Meydan.
Jockey Ortiz, who had partnered Magnitude to each of his most significant victories including the Gr.2 Clark at Churchill Downs, spoke ahead of the Dubai assignment with a conviction that proved entirely well-founded. In comments reported by the Paulick Report, Ortiz described his partner in terms that left little room for doubt, saying: "He's a very nice horse. He's got that swag that he's the man. I think we have something special." Those words resonated long after the gates opened on Saturday night as the 4YO delivered a performance of the highest quality against the world's best.
In the winner's enclosure, Asmussen reflected on a result that validated the patient preparation of the entire campaign. "What an incredible win," he said. "We just wanted to let him run his race from point A to point B. The horse is running with a lot of confidence and that gave us confidence. It unfolded just how we wanted it." Ortiz, meanwhile, offered a precise account of his race-riding strategy. "We left all the options open," he said. "If he jumps well we can go to the lead, if somebody jumps better than him, just sit off, maybe behind the speed. He didn't have a running start, but he jumped well and I knew it was time to go. I asked him to run and he was there for me."
The journey to this victory had not been without complication for connections. A minor illness had denied Magnitude his intended start in the Gr.1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in February, with Asmussen electing to redirect him to the Gr.3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn as an alternative preparation for the US$12,000,000 showpiece. The Razorback route drew natural comparisons with the career path of the legendary Gun Runner, also trained by Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds, who used the same Oaklawn race as a springboard for a Dubai World Cup campaign in 2017 before finishing as runner-up to the brilliant Arrogate.
Where Gun Runner fell agonisingly short, Magnitude succeeded in the most convincing fashion, and the resulting victory stands as a tribute to the sustained quality and patient preparation that have characterised this campaign throughout.
Meydaan Takes Brave Third In Landmark Race
Runner-up Forever Young, finding a horse too good at Meydan for a second successive year on World Cup night, nevertheless underlined his enduring excellence in defeat. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, the 5YO Japanese-bred son of Real Steel had entered the 30th running of the Dubai World Cup as arguably the finest dirt performer of his generation and, carrying a rating of 128, ran a race of genuine quality in finishing second.
Having been denied in this race 12 months ago when finishing third behind the shock winner Hit Show, the horse returned to Meydan this season in career-best form following his consecutive Saudi Cup triumphs and Breeders' Cup Classic success, yet discovered on the night that the rising 4YO from the Asmussen stable was simply a level above. His connections will no doubt regroup with renewed determination to claim the prize that continues to prove elusive at this venue.
In the aftermath, Yahagi suggested the Meydan surface may not be ideally suited to his horse, having also finished third here 12 months ago. Sakai, who had executed the race plan without error, was measured in his assessment, saying: "Everything went the way we planned but the winner was good today."
The third-place finish for Meydaan represented a commendable reward for the patient work of Simon and Ed Crisford, who had identified and developed the gelding's outstanding potential on the Meydan dirt surface throughout an impressive current Carnival season. Having successfully transitioned to dirt following a career largely spent on turf, the 5YO Frankel gelding had established himself as one of the most progressive performers on the circuit, highlighted by his decisive Gr.2 success over this course and distance on Super Saturday in February. William Buick produced an accomplished display aboard a horse who clearly relishes this surface and these conditions, and the partnership's credentials at the very highest level of international racing were considerably enhanced by the third-place finish on the biggest night of the year at Meydan.
The 30th running of the Dubai World Cup thus provided a worthy anniversary occasion, with Magnitude's American triumph writing a compelling new chapter in the history of a race that has defined international dirt racing since Cigar won the inaugural edition at Nad Al Sheba in 1996. A progressive 4YO from the yard of one of the sport's great training operators, the son of Not This Time arrives at the summit of his career at the perfect moment, and the sport will look forward with considerable anticipation to what comes next from a horse of his abundant talent and potential.
Dubai World Cup 2026
1st. Magnitude (T: Steve Asmussen / J: Jose Ortiz)
2nd. Forever Young (T: Yoshito Yahagi / J: Ryusei Sakai)
3rd. Meydaan (T: Simon & Ed Crisford / J: William Buick)