Magnitude has been scratched from this Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic on veterinary advice, bringing an abrupt end to the race path that had pointed him toward one of the biggest prizes on the calendar. The withdrawal also confirms that the Dubai World Cup winner has now been retired to stud duty at Ashford Stud for the 2027 breeding season.
The news, announced by Coolmore America on Thursday, removes a major runner from the Classic just days before the race and closes the book on a career that delivered elite performances from only three career starts. Magnitude had been aimed at the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, but the decision to scratch him means he will not get that chance on Saturday.
Magnitude's rise to the top level was rapid
At 3, Magnitude stamped himself as a serious talent with commanding wins in the GII Risen Star Stakes and the GII Iowa Derby. He won the Risen Star by 9 3/4 lengths and followed that with a 9 1/4-length victory in the Iowa Derby, marking him out as a colt with both raw ability and significant upside.
As a 4-year-old, he went on to prove that promise on the international stage. Magnitude won the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan before adding the $2-million GI Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs, results that confirmed his quality against the very best.
Paladin joins him at Ashford Stud
Magnitude's retirement comes alongside Paladin, who was also announced as retired on Thursday after sustaining a non-displaced condylar fracture in his right front ankle during a Florida workout this spring. That injury ended his Triple Crown trail and brought his racing career to a close.
Both colts will stand at Ashford Stud for the 2027 breeding season, and starting this Monday they will be available for breeders to view. Charlie O'Connor, Director of Sales at Ashford Stud, said the farm was devastated by Magnitude's scratch but excited to present both horses at the stallion barn.
He said Magnitude had been training as he had before the Dubai World Cup and described him as an absolute powerhouse on the world's biggest stages. He also praised Paladin as a strikingly handsome, undefeated son of Gun Runner who showed immense brilliance before his injury.
For breeders, the appeal is obvious. Both Magnitude and Paladin arrive at Ashford Stud with strong race records and pedigrees to match, and their introduction will now become one of the key stallion stories of the 2027 breeding season.
