Magnitude to Travers; Hopeful Likely Next for Romeo

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Magnitude breezed a solo half-mile in :51.68 July 19 over the Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga Race Course as he awaits the Aug. 23 Travers Stakes (G1), the 1 1/4-mile midsummer highlight for 3-year-olds of the Saratoga meet.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Not This Time  bay was completing his first breeze back since a 9 1/4-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Iowa Derby July 5 at Prairie Meadows. Earlier this year in February, he won the Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots but was sidelined thereafter until the Iowa Derby after having surgery to remove an ankle chip.

Asmussen said the spacing until the Travers appears favorable compared to returning on shorter rest into the July 26 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), a race Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) Sovereignty is competing in to prepare for the Travers. The latter, trained by Bill Mott, worked four furlongs over the Oklahoma track in :49.82 Saturday.

Asmussen said of Magnitude, "He's a beautiful mover and came out of the Iowa Derby in good shape. It was a beautiful morning today to work.

"(The Jim Dandy) comes back too quick off that big of a race, so we plan on just training him up to the Travers. We're just concentrating on him, and I think it's obviously a very deep and talented group of 3-year-olds. Our responsibility is how Magnitude is doing, and we're just extremely excited about how he's traveling and how he looks right now."

Also working Saturday for Asmussen was Romeo, who went an easy half in :51.89. The juvenile Honor A. P.  dark bay/brown colt, a last-out 3 3/4-length winner of the June 29 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs, was recently sold to bloodstock agent Mahmud Mouni, on behalf of Tagermeen Racing, for $1.7 million at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale and transferred to Asmussen's care. John "Jerry" Robb had previously trained Romeo for owner Joseph Lloyd.

"Our first move with Romeo. A very straightforward horse, and he handled it extremely easy," Asmussen said. "It's just him getting familiar with us and us getting familiar with him."

Asmussen said Romeo will be nominated to the 6 1/2-furlong, $200,000 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) Aug. 2, but will likely wait until the local seven-furlong Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 1.

"We're very fortunate to have him. He does not carry himself or act like a 2-year-old. He's very professional. We did go ahead and nominate him to the Saratoga Special, but I think with the change after the sale, most likely that will be too soon," Asmussen said.