Midwest Thoroughbreds, Pletcher, Dominguez repeat as leading earners in 2012

There were familiar names at the top of the nation’s leading owner, trainer, and jockey lists by 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.

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.

Dominguez’s mounts earned $25,582,252 in 2012, well above the $20,264,822 that was good enough to lead the 2011 rankings. 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.

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, winner of the BC Turf on Nov. 3, was second on that list with earnings of $2,668,742.