These were the top 10 graded-stakes trainers in 2021
In the year that he was inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame, Todd Pletcher showed he is still one of the sport’s most prolific trainers.
Pletcher led all North American conditioners in 2021 with 35 graded-stakes triumphs. Colonel Liam, Life Is Good, and Malathaat were among the trainer’s top runners.
Listed below are the top 10 trainers from 2021 in terms of graded-stakes wins. Such victories earned on the Dubai World Cup or Saudi Cup cards counted toward these totals.
1. Todd Pletcher, 35
Grade 1 wins: Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Del Mar, Life Is Good; Kentucky Oaks, Churchill Downs, Malathaat; Turf Classic Stakes, Churchill Downs, Colonel Liam; Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes, Gulfstream Park, Colonel Liam; Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, Known Agenda; Cigar Mile Handicap, Aqueduct; Americanrevolution; Alabama Stakes, Saratoga, Malathaat; Ashland Stakes, Keeneland, Malathaat
Pletcher campaigns the likely Eclipse Award winner for 2021’s top 3-year-old filly in Malathaat. She earned the trainer his fourth Kentucky Oaks triumph eight years after her dam, Dreaming of Julia, was fourth for Pletcher in the 2013 Oaks behind stablemate Princess of Sylmar. Pletcher assumed training duties midseason for Life Is Good and will saddle him later this month for a Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) showdown against Knicks Go.
t-2. Bob Baffert, 33
Grade 1 wins: Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Medina Spirit; Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Del Mar, Corniche; Ballerina Handicap, Saratoga, Gamine; Derby City Distaff Stakes, Churchill Downs, Gamine; Del Mar Debutante Stakes, Del Mar, Grace Adler; Starlet Stakes, Los Alamitos, Eda; Del Mar Futurity, Del Mar, Pinehurst; Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes, Santa Anita, Country Grammer; American Pharoah Stakes, Santa Anita, Corniche; Awesome Again Stakes, Santa Anita, Medina Spirit; La Brea Stakes, Santa Anita, Kalypso
Baffert occupied the spotlight throughout 2021, as Medina Spirit’s failed post-Derby drug test led to everything from the trainer’s two-year Churchill Downs suspension to a “Saturday Night Live” parody. But the Hall of Famer enjoyed his usual on-track success last season, especially on his Southern California home circuit. Baffert has a brigade of 2022 Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects although they will not be able to compete for his barn under the Twin Spires, barring a reversal of his suspension.
t-2. Chad Brown, 33
Grade 1 wins: Turf Classic Stakes, Churchill Downs, Domestic Spending; Manhattan Stakes, Belmont Park, Domestic Spending; United Nations Stakes, Monmouth Park, Tribhuvan; Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes, Keeneland, Shantisara; Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes, Belmont Park, Rockemperor; Acorn Stakes, Belmont Park, Search Results; Champagne Stakes, Belmont Park, Jack Christopher; First Lady Stakes, Keeneland, Blowout; Matriarch Stakes, Del Mar, Regal Glory; Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes, Keeneland, Raging Bull
Brown was, as usual, North America’s most successful turf trainer in 2021. Of his 33 graded-stakes wins, 27 came over the lawn, including a pair of Grade 1 scores with Eclipse Award candidate Domestic Spending. Brown continued his dominance of big grass events, winning a third straight Turf Classic Stakes, seventh Manhattan Stakes since 2012, third QEII Challenge Cup in the last four years, and fourth consecutive First Lady Stakes.
4. Brad Cox, 30
Grade 1 wins: Belmont Stakes, Belmont Park, Essential Quality; Breeders’ Cup Classic, Del Mar, Knicks Go; Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, Gulfstream Park, Knicks Go; Travers Stakes, Saratoga, Essential Quality; Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park, Mandaloun; Whitney Stakes, Saratoga, Knicks Go; La Troienne Stakes, Churchill Downs, Shedaresthedevil; Alcibiades Stakes, Keeneland, Juju’s Map; Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, Del Mar, Shedaresthedevil; Jenny Wiley Stakes, Keeneland, Juliet Foxtrot
Cox is in the running to be named Eclipse Award winner as Outstanding Trainer for the second straight year. He led all North American trainers in 2021 earnings, won his first Triple Crown event, and took his eighth Breeders’ Cup race since 2018. Cox trained Knicks Go to a campaign worthy of Horse of the Year honors and will saddle him once more this month in the Pegasus.
t-5. Steve Asmussen, 21
Grade 1 wins: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Del Mar, Echo Zulu; Cotillion Stakes, Parx, Clairiere; Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Saratoga, Max Player; Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, Super Stock; Metropolitan Handicap, Belmont Park, Silver State; Forego Stakes, Saratoga, Yaupon; H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes, Saratoga, Jackie’s Warrior; Frizette Stakes, Belmont Park, Echo Zulu; Hopeful Stakes, Saratoga, Gunite; Spinaway Stakes, Saratoga, Echo Zulu
Asmussen is North America’s all-time leading trainer in terms of wins, with 9,585 through Wednesday afternoon. He added 10 Grade 1 wins to his ledger in 2021, including the eighth Breeders’ Cup victory of his career with Juvenile Fillies heroine Echo Zulu. That filly is a leading contender to score Asmussen his third Kentucky Oaks crown, though he still seeks a first Kentucky Derby triumph.
t-5. Mark Casse, 21
Grade 1 win: Fourstardave Handicap, Saratoga, Got Stormy
Casse led all North American trainers in 2021 with 12 graded-stakes wins over all-weather surfaces. All those wins came at Woodbine, including with 2019 Belmont Stakes hero Sir Winston in the Valedictory Stakes (G3). Got Stormy’s Fourstardave triumph was the second of her career and came in a 13-1 upset.
7. Bill Mott, 17
Grade 1 wins: Flower Bowl Stakes, Saratoga, War Like Goddess; Woodward Stakes, Belmont Park, Art Collector; Jaipur Stakes, Belmont Park, Casa Creed
Mott has an Eclipse Award candidate for Female Turf champ in War Like Goddess. The daughter of English Channel rolled off four wins in a row during the 2021 season, including in the Glens Falls Stakes (G2) and Flower Bowl at Saratoga, before running third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. He also racked up three straight wins with Art Collector, including the Woodward, and is now prepping that Grade 1 winner for a 5-year-old campaign.
8. Phil D’Amato, 15
Grade 1 win: Del Mar Oaks, Del Mar, Going Global
D’Amato has an emerging star in the female turf division with Going Global. The Mehmas filly won six of eight starts in 2021, four of which were graded, and became the trainer’s first Del Mar Oaks heroine. Say the Word is back in training for a 7-year-old season after winning last year’s Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2) at Del Mar and Elkhorn Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.
9. Mike Maker, 13
No Grade 1 wins
Maker scored four of his 13 graded wins last season over Preakness Stakes weekend at Pimlico. He took Friday’s feature, the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) with Army Wife, then won Saturday’s Dinner Party Stakes (G2) with Somelikeithotbrown. Maker’s runners also scored graded-stakes wins in California, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, New York and Texas.
10. Richard Mandella, 11
No Grade 1 wins
Mandella enjoyed another strong season with United, who took Santa Anita’s John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2) and San Luis Rey Stakes (G2) and Del Mar’s Eddie Read Stakes (G2). His filly Soothsay won the Santa Anita Oaks (G2), then shipped to the Midwest and topped the Indiana Oaks (G3). She is back in training for Mandella and could target Southern California’s 2022 series of stakes for older fillies and mares.