2014 Eclipse Awards: Todd Pletcher

In what has become a yearly tradition, Todd Pletcher topped all North American trainers in three key categories in 2014: earnings, stakes wins, and graded stakes victories.

In a reflection of his statistical dominance, no rival trainer came close to him in those areas. His stable earnings of almost $23 million were more than $8 million ahead of second-place Chad Brown; his 62 stakes wins were 21 ahead of Jerry Hollendorfer’s second-best 41; and his 40 graded stakes victories were well in excess of Bob Baffert’s 23.

Although winless in the 2014 Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup races, Pletcher still tied for first among trainers with nine Grade 1 victories, matching Baffert.

Stopchargingmaria won two Grade 1s for Pletcher last summer at Saratoga, where he was the leading trainer, taking the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama. And Angela Renee, Carpe Diem, Constitution, Competitive Edge, Danza, Daredevil, and Palace Malice each notched a Grade 1 victory.

In addition to leading the training standings at Saratoga, Pletcher won training titles over the winter at Gulfstream, during the spring at Belmont, and at Keeneland in the fall, where he shared leading-training honors.

Notably, Pletcher became the leading North American trainer of all time in terms of career earnings in 2014, passing mentor and Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, whom he worked for as an assistant before launching his training career.

Pletcher, 47, has won six Eclipse Awards as outstanding trainer, including for his achievements in 2013.