Magnum (the horse)

Lost in the fog last weekend was the
Lone Star Park Handicapp,

a race last year that earmarked Shamoan as one to keep on eye out for. This year this race was no different.

Magnum, a striking dark bay from Argentina, is climbing the charts among the nation's older horses. Monday, he picked up his first stakes win when he proved much the best in the Grade 3$400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap

Magnum came into the race off two strong performances. He was second by three-quarters of a length to Lava Man in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March, then one start later shipped from his Southern California base to Arkansas and ran second to Buzzards Bay in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in April. When he returned home, his connections plotted a three-race summer campaign. The plan began last Monday with the Lone Star.
"So our next step that we had charted was the Hollywood Gold Cup, and we're going to be pointing for that, and from the Gold Cup, if things go right, we'll go into the Pacific Classic.

"One step at a time, but two steps in our mind."

The Grade 1, $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup will be run at Hollywood Park on July 8. The

Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic will be run at Del Mar on Aug. 20.

Magnum was scheduled to fly back to his Santa Anita base on Thursday