IT’S certainly been a week of ups and downs in the racing world. But it’s a case of keeping perspective.

On Saturday, Ben Curtis had the excitement of riding a potential leading Kentucky Derby contender but the news came on Tuesday that the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes winner Magnitude has been diagnosed with a bone chip in his left ankle and will have surgery to remove the chip. His trainer Steve Asmussen said an intended date for Magnitude’s return to training won’t be known for a few weeks.

The early Kentucky Derby picture had been thrown on its head at Fair Grounds on Saturday. Magnitude is trained by Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds, who came close to Derby success with Epicenter.

Driven forward by Curtis from his outside stall in the field of 12, he set quick fractions, as Godolphin’s 4/5 favourite East Avenue raced in second. East Avenue came under a drive before the turn-in and had nothing to offer, fading away to finish in a dead-heat for 10th as 43/1 shot Magnitude kept on running and came to the line clear by nine and three quarter lengths.

Built, the Gun Runner winner and Lecomte runner-up, flattened out down the stretch and was passed late by another outsider in Chunk Of Gold

Magnitude earned 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, putting him second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard behind 2024 champion two-year-old male Citizen Bull with 60.

“The rail has shown a bias throughout the day,” Curtis told TwinSpires.com, “and my instructions were fairly simple. You know, kick out the gate, get as forward as possible.

“It was impressive of the horse because I had to use him early. He came back to me around the top turn, and he relaxed again, and I was able to really pick up the tempo from kind of the three-eighths pole all the way into the stretch.

“I didn’t hear anything behind me, so It was a pretty enjoyable feeling, going up the Fair Grounds stretch without someone coming at me!”

The merits of the win were a topic of discussion afterwards. The colt was given an impressive 108 Bayer Speed Figure with US DRF handicapper David Aragona remarking that only four horses winning a Derby prep race had exceeded this in the last 15 years, and they included Grade 1 wnners Bodemeister, California Chrome and Fierceness.

This was a big step up on previous form, the Not This Time colt had been a distant second in the December 21st Gun Runner Stakes, and was sixth in the January 18th Lecomte.

Fillies

In the fillies’ division Godolphin’s homebred Good Cheer sailed to her fifth victory in a row, keeping her unbeaten record intact, with an impressive performance in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes.

Only three fillies challenged Good Cheer and jockey Luis Saez was in no hurry to push his star filly early. Once she found clear daylight turning into the straight, Good Cheer went clear of her rivals by a widening six and a quarter lengths.

Trainer Brad Cox said of the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, out of the by Street Sense mare Wedding Toast.

“We’re very proud of her effort to come back like this as a three-year-old. She’s really good. The longer the better.”

Baffert number two on track

THE Baffert-trained Getaway Car won the Sunland Park Derby as he held off a hard-trying Caldera in a photo-finish by a nose.

Winner of the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar in August, the son of Curlin had not found the winner’s circle in four starts since after battling with his stable companions Citizen Bull and Gaming.

Despite the margin of victory, Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes was reported satisfied with the Sunland Park winner’s circle with the performance.

“That was the race we expected him to run. Our horses like to set the pace. Juan did an excellent job of warming him up and getting him on the lead and finding more when he needed it,” he said.