Zipse: Is Magnitude ready to prove himself in the Clark?

Is Magnitude ready to prove he belongs with the best horses in American racing in 2026?

The enigmatic son of Not This Time will get his chance to finish off his 3-year-old season on a high note Friday at Churchill Downs when he takes on a strong bunch set for the Grade 2, $600,000 Clark Stakes.

A winner of four of his first ten career races, it’s been a bit of a wild ride for Magnitude in 2025. Ignored at odds of 43-1 while breaking from the far outside post in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) back in February, the Steve Asmussen-trainee popped the dial with a breakout performance at Fair Grounds.

His scintillating 9 3/4-length score over a big field in the Big Easy garnered a 108 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form. That number puts him near the top of his generation, but his forward momentum was stopped cold when he came out of the race with an injury. 

There would be no Kentucky Derby, Preakness, or Belmont Stakes for Magnitude, but he impressed in his return to the races on the July 4th holiday weekend.

His comeback came in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows where he was sent off as a heavy favorite against only five others. The competition may have been flat that evening, but Magnitude was not, dominating from gate to wire for another romping, big margin score.

After missing the Triple Crown, it’s hard to knock his connections for wasting no time in testing their rising star after the runaway in Iowa. Sent into the deep waters of the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1), he found the domain of Sovereignty to be too much too soon.

Beaten a country mile at Saratoga by the Godolphin superstar, the luster of his consecutive big wins in the Risen Star and Iowa Derby was tarnished when he struggled home third in the small field.

Quickly ignored at the betting windows once again, Magnitude proved to be no hothouse flower with a strong bounce back performance at Parx just four weeks after the Travers disappointment. The speedy colt overcame a less-than-ideal trip to rally into a clear second behind Baeza in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

The Winchell Thoroughbreds-owned runner showed a new dimension in that one, running a strong race from off the pace, but speed is still his most dangerous asset.

Given some space between races, and previously a winner over the Churchill Downs main track, Magnitude should be ready to run his race on Friday. The competition should not be taken lightly, however.

It’s not a Grade 1, but the historic Clark Stakes is close. The 9-furlong race has produced an impressive roll call of modern champions. Blame, Gun Runner, Saint Liam, Silver Charm, Will Take Charge, and Wise Dan have all won the holiday weekend feature.

Who will win this year? It’s a wide-open race in which a strong case could be made for most of the horses in the field.

If Magnitude is to win this, he will need to run a big race. He will break from the far outside post and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz. Leading the competition are a trio of millionaire older horses in Hit Show, Rattle N Roll, and First Mission.

An upset winner of the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) earlier this year, Hit Show may be the race favorite for trainer Brad Cox. The 5-year-old has won half of his 22 career starts and comes in off a nice win in the Fayette Stakes (G3) last out at Keeneland. He is only 2-for-7 lifetime at Churchill Downs, however.

Rattle N Roll has four wins in ten starts at Churchill Downs, including the 2024 edition of the Clark. He also finished a fast closing second in the Fayette in his most recent start. The 6-year-old will be looking for his first win since January on Friday.

First Mission will complete a strong duo for Brad Cox, having won over $2.2 million in 15 career starts. A graded stakes winner in each of his three seasons, he just missed in the 2023 edition of the Clark as a 3-year-old.

Speaking of sophomores, Magnitude will have strong competition from his fellow 3-year-olds, as well.

Since winning the Lexington Stakes (G3) in his third lifetime start, Gosger has not had much luck. The Nyquist colt just missed to Journalism in a pair of back-to-back important races in the East, having finished a good second in both the Preakness (G1) and Haskell (G1). Last out, he was a sneaky good third in the Fayette.

Chunk of Gold cannot be dismissed in the Clark either. The West Virginia Derby (G3) hero comes out of a confidence building allowance score at Keeneland and has run plenty of solid races this year.

The 9-horse field for the Clark is completed by older stakes winners Cooke Creek, Who Dey, and Willy D’s. All figure to be longshots, but at their best are capable of making some noise on Friday.

It’s a very solid field, but perhaps the most interesting horse of all is Magnitude.

Already proven to be capable of big performances, he may still be improving for his Hall of Fame trainer. A win against this field would serve notice that Magnitude is for real heading into the 2026 racing season.