Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Magnitude

A 9 3/4-length demolition of the Risen Star (G2) has stamped Magnitude as a serious contender for the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1).

The bay colt had no trouble handling the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Risen Star, reaching the finish line in a fast 1:48.85. He gave the impression stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the Kentucky Derby won’t be an issue, and his pedigree concurs.

Magnitude’s sire is Not This Time, a beautifully bred son of three-time leading North American sire Giant’s Causeway (a noted stamina influence) out of the talented sprinter Miss Macy Sue, winner of the Winning Colors (G3) and five other stakes. Prior to Not This Time, Miss Macy Sue foaled Liam’s Map, a son of Unbridled’s Song who won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Woodward (G1).

Neither Not This Time nor Liam’s Map ever raced over 1 1/4 miles. Not This Time may well have handled the distance, but he was retired following a juvenile campaign that yielded a win in the 1 1/16-mile Iroquois (G3) and a close runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

Not This Time has proven remarkably versatile at stud, sometimes passing on the stamina of Giant’s Causeway and other times the speed of Miss Macy Sue. Giant’s Causeway did his best running on turf, and so have some of Not This Time’s best runners, but Miss Macy Sue was a dirt horse, and Not This Time has sired plenty of those too.

A sampling of Not This Time’s Grade 1-winning progeny reveals turf sprinter Cogburn, turf router Up to the Mark, dirt sprinters Sibelius and Just One Time, dirt sprinter/miler Princess Noor, and dirt router Epicenter. The latter was voted champion three-year-old male of 2022 after winning the 1 1/4-mile Travers (G1) and finishing second in the Kentucky Derby and 1 3/16-mile Preakness (G1), so Not This Time has already sired one top-tier Triple Crown type.

In addition, Not This Time is the sire of Next, a standout dirt marathoner with wins in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) and two editions of the Brooklyn (G2) on his record.

Moving on, Magnitude is the first winning foal produced by Rockadelic, a daughter of Bernardini out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Octave. Rockadelic finished seventh in her lone start, but with an elite pedigree behind her, it’s not surprising that’s she’s found success as a broodmare.

Bernardini retired as the champion three-year-old male of 2006 after winning the Preakness, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) over classic distances. As a stallion, he found success as the sire of long-winded Travers winners Alpha and Stay Thirsty; the latter finished a close second in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1). Other accomplished sons and daughters of Bernardini include Pegasus World Cup (G1) conqueror Art Collector, the multiple Grade 1 winners Cavorting and To Honor and Serve, and two-time Charles Town Classic (G2) winner Imperative. All of these runners achieved major wins over 1 1/8 miles, indicating Bernardini’s tendency to pass on stamina.

Daughters of Bernardini have foaled long-winded horses as well, including Saudi Cup (G1) winner Emblem Road, multiple Grade 1 winners Clairiere and Maxfield, Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Serengeti Empress, Travers hero Catholic Boy, and two-time Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) victor Colonel Liam.

As for Octave, she won the 1 1/4-mile Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and 1 1/8-mile Mother Goose (G1), in addition to recording top-three finishes in the Kentucky Oaks, Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Alabama (G1), and Ashland (G1). As a broodmare, one of her best foals has been Incognito, the fourth-place finisher in the 2013 Belmont.

Clearly the pedigree of Rockadelic is packed with stamina. Mix that stamina with the speedier (but still respectably stout) genetics of Not This Time, and you wind up with the pedigree of Magnitude, which is geared strongly toward success in the Kentucky Derby.