Asmussen collects $50,000 bonus for stakes performances on Preakness weekend
Trainer Steve Asmussen won the Preakness-weekend trainers’ bonus at Pimlico, taking down $50,000 of the $100,000 prize pool put up by the Maryland Jockey Club.
To be eligible for the bonus, a trainer had to start five horses in stakes at Pimlico last Friday and Saturday. The horses earned points on a 10-7-5-3 basis, with all horses getting an additional point for starting. The top six trainers shared in the bonus.
Asmussen ran nine horses in the 15 stakes held at Pimlico last Friday and Saturday. He won the Grade 3 Allaire duPont Distaff with Terra Promessa and the Grade 3 Miss Preakness with Vertical Oak on Friday and earned a total of 38 points over the two days.
Mark Casse, who had six stakes starters, finished second with 31 points and earned $25,000. Casse won the Grade 2 Dixie with World Approval and finished second, beaten a head, in the Preakness with Classic Empire.
Trainers Graham Motion, Todd Pletcher, and Tom Proctor tied for third with 25 points and each earned $7,666. Kiaran McLaughlin earned $2,000 for finishing sixth.
Motion won the Hilltop Stakes with Happy Mesa and the Sir Barton with No Mo Dough. Proctor won the Grade 3 Gallorette with Cambodia, and Pletcher won the Skipat with Clipthecouponannie.