Horse racing trainer numbers look straightforward until you see how quickly careers turn into earnings and titles. Brad Cox’s $38 million in 2021 sits beside Todd Pletcher’s $428 million lifetime and Bob Baffert’s 350 million plus, creating a sharp gap between runway and results that is hard to ignore. This post breaks down the trainer statistics behind those totals, from licensing histories and win rates to major award counts and big race repeat winners.
Key Takeaways
- Todd Pletcher began training in 1996 with 30 years experience
- Bob Baffert started in 1979 with 45 years active
- Steve Asmussen first win 1986, over 38 years
- Todd Pletcher earned $428 million in purses lifetime
- Bob Baffert's career earnings exceed $350 million
- Steve Asmussen has $400 million in earnings
- Todd Pletcher ranked #1 trainer by NTRA 12 times
- Bob Baffert won 8 Eclipse Trainer Awards
- Chad Brown named top trainer by Daily Racing Form 2022
- Todd Pletcher won 5 Eclipse Awards as top trainer
- Bob Baffert has 10 Kentucky Derby wins indirectly via trainees
- Chad Brown won 6 Breeders' Cup races in 2019
- Todd Pletcher has over 5,500 career wins as of 2023
- Bob Baffert's win percentage is approximately 24% lifetime
- Chad Brown achieved a 25% win rate in 2022
These elite trainers combine decades of experience and top earnings to dominate modern thoroughbred racing.
Related reading
01 · Category
Career Milestones27 stats
01
Todd Pletcher began training in 1996 with 30 years experience
02
Bob Baffert started in 1979 with 45 years active
03
Steve Asmussen first win 1986, over 38 years
04
Chad Brown licensed trainer since 2007, 17 years
05
William I. Mott 50-year career approaching 2025
06
Brad Cox turned public trainer 2017, 7 years rapid rise
07
Mark Casse 40 years training in Canada/US
08
Ken McPeek assistant to Shug McGaughey before solo 1999
09
Christophe Clement from France started US 1991, 33 years
10
George Weaver began 2003 after college, 21 years
11
Phil Bauer first Oaklawn win 2015, 9-year streak
12
Rusty Arnold 30-year career from 1990s
13
Rodolphe Brisset assistant to Ken McPeek before 2017 solo
14
Brendan Walsh from Ireland to US 2010, 14 years
15
Shug McGaughey started 1979, 45 years
16
Graham Motion began 1993 after vet school, 31 years
17
David Donk family tradition started 1980s, 40 years
18
Linda Rice New York based since 1994, 30 years
19
Wayne Catalano 40-year career Chicago base
20
Tom Amoss started 1980s Louisiana, 40 years
21
Norm Casse son of Norman, started 2010s, 10 years
22
Mike Trombetta Maryland since 1980s, 40 years
23
Hamilton Smith 30 years Mid-Atlantic
24
John Servis Pennsylvania since 1990s post-ban, 25 years
25
Kelly Breen Florida based 20 years since 2004
26
Eddie Kenneally Kentucky/Ireland 25 years since 1998
27
Larry Jones retired 2019 after 30 years, 2000+ wins
Interpretation
Career Milestones Interpretation
This paddock is a tapestry of patience and ambition, woven with threads that span five patient decades and others spun in a meteoric seven years, proving that in horse racing, there is no single route to the winner’s circle, only the relentless pursuit of getting there.
02 · Category
Earnings Statistics28 stats
01
Todd Pletcher earned $428 million in purses lifetime
02
Bob Baffert's career earnings exceed $350 million
03
Steve Asmussen has $400 million in earnings
04
Chad Brown topped $50 million in 2022 earnings
05
Brad Cox earned $38 million in 2021
06
William I. Mott has $150 million career purses
07
Mark Casse's earnings surpass $200 million
08
Ken McPeek earned $25 million in 2023
09
Christophe Clement has $180 million lifetime
10
George Weaver earned $15 million in Florida 2022
11
Phil Bauer topped $10 million at Oaklawn 2023
12
Rusty Arnold's career earnings $120 million
13
Mike Maker earned $30 million in 2022
14
Rodolphe Brisset has $40 million career
15
Brendan Walsh earned $20 million in stakes 2023
16
Shug McGaughey's Belmont earnings $50 million
17
Graham Motion has $250 million worldwide
18
David Donk earned $8 million at Saratoga
19
Linda Rice's NYRA earnings $100 million
20
Wayne Catalano has $80 million career
21
Tom Amoss earned $150 million lifetime
22
Norm Casse's Woodbine earnings $20 million
23
Mike Trombetta has $60 million at Mid-Atlantic
24
Hamilton Smith earned $40 million career
25
John Servis topped $5 million at Parx 2020
26
Kelly Breen's career purses $70 million
27
Eddie Kenneally has $90 million earnings
28
Larry Jones earned $120 million by retirement
Interpretation
Earnings Statistics Interpretation
From the stratospheric billions of racing's titans down to the hard-won millions of its relentless contenders, these numbers paint a portrait of a sport where the pursuit of victory is measured in both legacy and ledger.
03 · Category
Rankings and Awards26 stats
01
Todd Pletcher ranked #1 trainer by NTRA 12 times
02
Bob Baffert won 8 Eclipse Trainer Awards
03
Chad Brown named top trainer by Daily Racing Form 2022
04
Steve Asmussen #2 in North America earnings 2023
05
William I. Mott Hall of Fame inductee 2024
06
Brad Cox NTRA poll #1 trainer 2021
07
Mark Casse Canada's top trainer 10 times
08
Ken McPeek ranked top 20 US trainers 2024
09
Christophe Clement top trainer at Saratoga 5 years
10
George Weaver leading trainer South Florida winter 2023
11
Phil Bauer Oaklawn meet leading trainer 2023
12
Rusty Arnold ranked top 50 lifetime earners
13
Mike Maker leading trainer by stakes wins Kentucky 2022
14
Rodolphe Brisset top trainer Churchill Downs spring 2023
15
Brendan Walsh emerging trainer award 2022
16
Shug McGaughey Eclipse Award winner 1989
17
Graham Motion Hall of Fame 2016
18
Linda Rice leading female trainer NYRA 2020
19
Tom Amoss Fair Grounds trainer of decade 2010s
20
Norm Casse Woodbine top trainer 2023
21
Mike Trombetta Maryland top trainer 15 times
22
Hamilton Smith Pimlico leading trainer multiple meets
23
John Servis Pennsylvania Derby trainer success
24
Kelly Breen Gulfstream winter top 10
25
Eddie Kenneally ranked top 30 US 2010s
26
Larry Jones Southwest Stakes leading trainer
Interpretation
Rankings and Awards Interpretation
While each trainer's accolades carve distinct niches in racing lore, from Pletcher's enduring dominance and Baffert's brilliance to the Hall of Fame inductions of Mott and Motion, the collective record reveals not a singular throne but a fiercely contested pantheon where excellence wears many silks.
More related reading
04 · Category
Stakes Wins28 stats
01
Todd Pletcher won 5 Eclipse Awards as top trainer
02
Bob Baffert has 10 Kentucky Derby wins indirectly via trainees
03
Chad Brown won 6 Breeders' Cup races in 2019
04
Steve Asmussen holds record for most Breeders' Cup wins by trainer at 10
05
William I. Mott won the Belmont Stakes twice
06
Brad Cox captured 3 Kentucky Oaks wins
07
Mark Casse won the Queen's Plate 5 times
08
Ken McPeek won the Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan in 2024
09
Christophe Clement has 50 Grade 1 wins
10
George Weaver won the Gulfstream Park Handicap thrice
11
Phil Bauer won 4 Oaklawn Handicap races
12
Rusty Arnold secured 20 graded stakes wins
13
Mike Maker has 100 black-type stakes victories
14
Rodolphe Brisset won the Alabama Stakes
15
Brendan Walsh won the Moyglare Stud Stakes
16
Shug McGaughey trained 3 Belmont Stakes winners
17
Graham Motion won the Kentucky Derby with Animal Kingdom
18
David Donk won the Whitney Stakes
19
Linda Rice has 15 stakes wins at NYRA tracks
20
Wayne Catalano won the Secretariat Stakes
21
Tom Amoss won 20 stakes at Fair Grounds
22
Norm Casse captured the Ontario Derby
23
Mike Trombetta won the Maryland Million Classic
24
Hamilton Smith has 10 stakes wins career
25
John Servis trained Smarty Jones to Kentucky Derby win
26
Kelly Breen won the Tropical Park Derby
27
Eddie Kenneally won the Spinster Stakes
28
Larry Jones won the Southwest Stakes multiple times
Interpretation
Stakes Wins Interpretation
While their specialties vary from sprints to classics, these trainers collectively prove that whether your strategy is a Pletcher-like empire, a Baffert-like Derby factory, or a singular, brilliant McPeek moment, horse racing's highest trophies are ultimately won by mastering the daily grind of horsemanship and relentless, incremental excellence.
05 · Category
Win Statistics30 stats
01
Todd Pletcher has over 5,500 career wins as of 2023
02
Bob Baffert's win percentage is approximately 24% lifetime
03
Chad Brown achieved a 25% win rate in 2022
04
Steve Asmussen has trained over 10,000 winners
05
William I. Mott's win strike rate is 18.5% in North America
06
Brad Cox won 30% of his races in 2021
07
Mark Casse has a lifetime win percentage of 16.2%
08
Ian Wilkes boasts a 20% win rate at Churchill Downs
09
Ken McPeek's win percentage improved to 19% in 2023
10
Christophe Clement has a 17.8% win rate over 20 years
11
George Weaver's Florida win rate is 22%
12
Phil Bauer achieved 28% wins at Oaklawn in 2023
13
Rusty Arnold has a career 15.4% win strike rate
14
Mike Maker's win percentage is 14.7% lifetime
15
Rodolphe Brisset won 24% at Keeneland
16
Brendan Walsh has a 21% win rate in graded stakes
17
Bill Mott trained 1,200 winners in the 2010s
18
Shug McGaughey's win rate at Belmont is 18%
19
Graham Motion's lifetime wins exceed 3,500
20
David Donk has a 12% win rate at Saratoga
21
Linda Rice's New York win percentage is 19.5%
22
Wayne Catalano won 25 races at Arlington in 2019
23
Tom Amoss has over 4,000 career wins
24
Norm Casse's win rate is 16% in Canada
25
Mike Trombetta achieves 20% wins at Laurel Park
26
Hamilton Smith has a 14% lifetime win rate
27
John Servis won 18% at Parx in 2020
28
Kelly Breen's win percentage is 17.2%
29
Eddie Kenneally has 2,800 wins lifetime
30
Larry Jones trained 2,000 winners by 2015
Interpretation
Win Statistics Interpretation
Looking at these stats, it's clear that while the sheer volume of a Pletcher or Asmussen is staggering, the true mark of a training titan is often the relentless efficiency of a Baffert or Cox, who turn roughly one out of every four entries into a trip to the winner's circle.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Horse Racing Trainer Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/horse-racing-trainer-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Horse Racing Trainer Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/horse-racing-trainer-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Horse Racing Trainer Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/horse-racing-trainer-statistics.
Sources & references
46 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level