Asmussen Has Magnitude, Obliteration Booked for Saudi

[Wandering Eyes]

Magnitude (Not This Time), a game winner over older horses in his sophomore finale in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 28, will make his next start in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will also be well-represented by 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Obliteration (Violence) in the $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby on the undercard. Both races will be held at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh Feb. 14.

“We're very excited to have both of them go,” Asmussen said. “The Saudi Cup and the Saudi Derby–definitely something we want to be a part of. Feel great about the two horses.”

Asmussen added, “Jose (Ortiz)'s riding Magnitude and Joel (Rosario)'s riding Obliteration. Fortunate to keep the same riders who they've won with recently.”

Forced to miss the Triple Crown series after exiting his sensational GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S. victory with an ankle chip, Magnitude resumed his sophomore campaign with a blowout win in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows July 5. A well-beaten third behind soon-to-be-crowned Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI DraftKings Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 23, he showed a new dimension with a very good closing second in the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Sept. 20.

Magnitude defeated G1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) by a half length as the 2-1 favorite in the Clark. He earned a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure in his aforementioned front-running tour-de-force victory at 43-1 in the Risen Star.

The Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer, a $310,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $450,000 Keeneland September yearling, has breezed five times for Asmussen at Fair Grounds this winter, most recently firing a five-furlong bullet in 1:00.20 (1/17) Jan. 19.

“We're full of hope,” Asmussen said. “The horse has run some extremely good times and put it all together in the Clark. He is training exceptionally well, as is expected of him right now.”

The versatile Obliteration, a runaway winner of Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. at second asking July 5 and a respectable fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar Oct. 31, began the New Year in style with a 7 1/2-length win despite stumbling at the break in the six-furlong Renaissance S. at Oaklawn Park Jan. 3.

He also finished second in last term's GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 2, Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint S. Aug. 31 and Indian Summer S. at Keeneland Oct. 5. The latter two were run on grass.

Campaigned in partnership by Leland Ackerley Racing, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe and John Cilia, the $200,000 OBS March breezer worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 (6/23) at Fair Grounds Jan. 18. The 1600-meter (about one mile) Saudi Derby will be Obliteration's first attempt beyond 6 1/2 furlongs.

“He's got a tremendous amount of talent,” Asmussen said. “Just really appreciate his personality. He's run in the Breeders' Cup (at Del Mar), at Kentucky Downs, at Saratoga, etc. He's got quite a bit of travel and experience at a very good level. He's capable of running very fast. It is a great opportunity.”

Following the arrest of disgraced former trainer Jason Servis and subsequent demotion of Maximum Security, the Asmussen-trained Midnight Bisou was placed first via disqualification in the 2020 Saudi Cup. Asmussen also saddled the ill-fated Midnight Bourbon to a third-place finish in the 2022 renewal and Cowan to a second-place finish in the 2021 Saudi Derby.

“International racing and being able to compete at this level is what I dreamed about from having a brother that won the Arc,” said Asmussen, who won the 2008 G1 Dubai World Cup with the legendary Curlin. “I love being a part of it.”

Asmussen added that the Middle East-bound duo of Magnitude and Obliteration will fly out of Miami on Feb. 2.

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