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Thursday, January 02, 2020Contact: Rhonda Norby (859) 224-2856
Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence, Ortiz Jr. and Brown Finish 2019 as Earnings Leaders

Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence finished the year as the leading owner by earnings, while Irad Ortiz Jr. and Chad Brown not only repeated as the top earner for jockeys and trainers, respectively, but each established single season earnings records, according to final statistics released today by Equibase Company LLC, the Thoroughbred industry’s official database for racing information.

The year-end compilations are distributed annually by Equibase and include results from Thoroughbred racing in North America from January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019. Expanded North American racing leaders’ lists that include all trainers, jockeys, owners, and horses are available within the statistical section at equibase.com. These lists include the ability to look at leaders with and without the inclusion of Dubai World Cup earnings and in a variety of categories, including age, sex, surface, graded races, and foaling year for horses.

Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (Gr. 1) winner Bricks and Mortar led all Thoroughbreds in North American earnings with $6,723,650. Owned, ridden and conditioned by the leading owner, jockey and trainer, Bricks and Mortar went undefeated in six races, all of which were graded events. Beginning the year with a win the grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes, Bricks and Mortar added the Muniz Memorial Handicap (Gr. 2), the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (Gr. 1), the Manhattan Stakes (Gr. 1) and the Arlington Million Stakes (Gr.1) in addition to the Breeders’ Cup Turf. When including earnings from Dubai World Cup Day, Thunder Snow (IRE) was the leading earner with $7,320,000 in earnings from his win in the Dubai World Cup and his third-place finish in the RunHappy Metropolitan Handicap (Gr. 1).

Completing the list of top 10 horses by North American earnings were City of Light with $4,000,000, Vino Rosso with $3,960,625, Mitole with $2,756,200, McKinzie with $2,232,560, Code of Honor with $2,211,570, Midnight Bisou with $2,185,000, Country House with $2,105,800, Maximum Security with $1,791,100, and Seeking the Soul with $1,719,111.

Some of the leading horses also were the top earners from their respective foal crops. The leading earners by foaling year from the past five years were British Idiom (2017 foal crop), Code of Honor (2016), Vino Rosso (2015), Bricks and Mortar (2014) and Gun Runner (2013).

The partnership of Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence, who campaigned Bricks and Mortar and grade 1 winner Annals of Time, won 17 races from 41 starts and earned $8,178,845 in North America in 2019 to lead all owners. When including earnings from Dubai World Cup Day, Godolphin, LLC was the leading owner for the second consecutive year with 84 wins from 423 starts and earnings of $18,428,502. Godolphin ranked fifth among owners in North American earnings with 80 wins from 409 starts and earnings of $5,153,502.

Completing the list of top 10 owners by North American earnings in 2019 were Calumet Farm, $6,551,311 (68 wins / 655 starts); Gary Barber, $6,040,187 (69/331); Hronis Racing LLC, $5,632,611(52/234); Klaravich Stables, Inc., $4,968,082 (66/243); Joseph E. Besecker, $4,963,858 (199/774); Ron Paolucci Racing LLC, $4,857,990 (192/799); Peter M. Brant, $4,353,615 (30/81); and End Zone Athletics, $4,261,622 (280/1,073).

Brown, who led all trainers in earnings for the fourth consecutive year, became the first trainer in history to surpass $30 million in earnings, sending out the winners of 222 races from 301 starters with 823 starts for earnings of $31,112,144 in 2019. The previous single season earnings record of $28,116,097 was set in 2007 by Todd Pletcher. Steve Asmussen finished second in 2019 for the second consecutive year with his horses having won 433 races from 612 starters with 2,209 starts for earnings of $27,487,885.

Completing the list of top 10 trainers by North American earnings in 2019 were Todd Pletcher, $17,904,526 (177 wins / 795 starts / 269 starters); Brad H. Cox, $17,547,123 (233 /947/311); Mark E. Casse, $16,246,643 (199/1,189/320); William I. Mott, $13,127,743 (89/527/164); Michael J. Maker, $12,073,156(177/1,086/312); Jason Servis, $11,089,040 (168/574/171); Bob Baffert, $10,248,430 (78/325/116); and Karl Broberg, $9,135,037 (547/2,130/544).

Ortiz Jr. reached the winner’s circle 311 times from 1,516 mounts enroute to setting a single season earnings record of $34,109,019 while also becoming the first rider to surpass $30 million in earnings. The previous single season earnings mark of $28,120,809 was set in 2015 by Javier Castellano. Finishing second for the second consecutive year (after being the leading rider by earnings in 2017) was Ortiz Jr.’s brother, Jose L. Ortiz, with 274 wins from 1,419 mounts and earnings of $27,529,006.

Rounding out the list of top 10 jockeys by North American earnings in 2019 were Javier Castellano, $25,053,713 (197 wins / 941 starts); Joel Rosario, $24,913,212 (222/1,104); Flavien Prat, $19,693,267 (167/739); John R. Velazquez, $18,795,157 (141/777); Luis Saez, $18,209,050 (274/1,428); Ricardo Santana Jr., $16,705,623(190/1,103); Manuel Franco, $16,688,680 (221/1,340); and Tyler Gaffalione, $15,201,206 (185/1,217).

Equibase Company is a partnership between The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America and serves as the Thoroughbred industry’s official database. Through its website and mobile applications, Equibase offers a comprehensive menu of wagering products, statistical information and video race replays in support of the North American Thoroughbred racing industry. Additional information is available at equibase.com.