2017 Eclipse Awards: Chad Brown

Just when it seems there are few statistical accomplishments left for Chad Brown to surpass, he raises the bar again. That was the case for Brown in 2017, with his horses having won more than $26.2 million in purse money, bettering his previous high in 2016, when his stable won more than $23.1 million and he earned an Eclipse Award as champion trainer. He is a finalist to win his second consecutive Eclipse Award.

In 2017, Brown topped trainers in money won in North America and in Grade 1 stakes victories, with 16. His runners made more than $16.5 million in North America on turf in 2017, tops among trainers and nearly double the total of runner-up Mike Maker’s grass total of $8.4 million.

Brown experienced a breakthrough year on dirt. He won the first Triple Crown race of his career when Cloud Computing won the Preakness Stakes in May, and he trained Good Magic to win the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November. Other Grade 1 dirt winners for Brown in 2017 included Paulassilverlining in the Madison at Keeneland and Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs.

Brown also won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with Rushing Fall, who completed an unbeaten 2-year-old campaign. She was one of eight horses to take Grade 1 races on the grass for Brown in 2017. His others were Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap winner Almanaar; Just a Game winner Antonoe; Arlington Million and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic winner Beach Patrol; Beverly D. winner Dacita; Gamely and Diana winner Lady Eli; Belmont Oaks winner New Money Honey; and Matriarch winner Off Limits.

Brown, 39, also won races at a high percentage, recording 213 victories from 820 starters, or 26 percent. He captured the spring and fall training titles at Belmont Park, and though he fell one win short to Todd Pletcher of becoming leading trainer at Saratoga, his 39 wins there was a career high. For the third straight year, he won more races than any other trainer on the New York Racing Association circuit.

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