Midwest Thoroughbreds, Pletcher, and Dominguez among 2012 leaders

Barbara D. Livingston

Ramon Dominguez set a record for jockey earnings in 2012 with over $25 million.

There were familiar names at the top of the list of the nation’s leading owners, trainers and jockeys for earnings in 2012.

The Midwest Thoroughbreds operation of Richard Papiese, trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Ramon Dominguez led their respective categories, repeating their accomplishments from 2011.

Midwest Thoroughbreds had 2012 earnings of $10,150,498, with 542 wins from 1,857 starters. In 2011, Midwest Thoroughbreds had seasonal earnings of $6,307,278, with 418 wins.

Midwest’s win total also led the standings and was more than triple the next closest owner.

In 2012, Midwest Thoroughbreds did not have any graded stakes wins, but did win multiple stakes with Guam Typhoon and The Pizza Man.

Pletcher, 45, led all trainers for the third consecutive year, with stable earnings of $20,954,322. He won 233 races with 855 starters. Pletcher won Grade 1 races in 2012 in the United States with Dreaming of Julia, Gemologist, In Lingerie, Love and Pride, Shanghai Bobby, Stay Thirsty, Turbo Compressor, Turbulent Descent, and Violence.

In 2011, Pletcher’s stable earned $17,186,956.

Jamie Ness, whose horses raced all along the Eastern seaboard, won more races than any other trainer, 396. It was the first time Ness led the nation in victories.

Dominguez’s mounts earned $25,582,252 in 2012, well above the $20,264,822 that was good enough to lead the 2011 rankings. The earnings total broke the record of $23,354,960 set by Jerry Bailey in 2003. Dominguez won 341 races from 1,398 mounts in 2012. He won Grade 1 races in the United States in 2012 with Alpha, Dance Card, Desert Blanc, Get Stormy, Little Mike, Samitar, Stay Thirsty, and Tapitsfly.

Russell Baze, primarily based in Northern California, led all jockeys by wins with 374. It was the 12th time he led the nation in wins.

By finishing eighth in the 2012 North American jockey standings in mount earnings with more than $12.4 million, Rosie Napravnik established a record of sorts by eclipsing the best previous finish for a female jockey, when Hall of Famer Julie Krone was ninth in both 1988 and 1992. Her earnings total also was the most ever by a female jockey, eclipsing Krone’s earnings in 1992 by over $3 million.

Fort Larned, who won the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 3, led all horses with seasonal earnings of $3,598,455.

Fort Larned won 5 of 9 starts in 2012. Little Mike, the winner of the BC Turf on Nov. 3, was second on that list with earnings of $2,668,742.