After ranking second in 2014 and 2015, trainer Chad Brown would not be denied in 2016 as he moved to the top of the leading trainers by earnings for the first time.
According to final statistics released Jan. 2 by Equibase Company, Brown sent out the winners of 182 races from 763 starts for earnings of $23,135,084 in 2016. Brown's results in 2016 again included an impressive record on turf, leading all trainers for the fifth consecutive year with a record of 128 wins from 573 starts on grass and earnings of $16,297,744.
Brown's 12 grade I wins included New Money Honey in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Flintshire in the Longines Sword Dancer and Woodford Reserve Manhattan stakes, Sea Calisi in the Beverly D. Stakes, Lady Eli in the Flower Bowl Stakes, Dacita in the Diana Stakes, Connect in the Cigar Mile Handicap, Practical Joke in the Champagne and Hopeful stakes, Beach Patrol in the Secretariat Stakes, Wake Forest in the Man o' War Stakes, and Annals of Time in the Hollywood Derby.
Todd Pletcher, who has led the earinings list 10 times, finished second in 2016 with his horses having won 274 races from 1,213 starts for earnings of $21,178,642.
Completing the list of top 10 trainers by North American earnings in 2016 were Mark Casse, $17,946,005 (235 wins/1,334 starts); Bob Baffert, $15,864,326 (108/412); Steve Asmussen, $14,829,340 (317/1,600); Michael Maker, $11,562,002 (221/1,152); Doug O'Neill, $10,330,364 (106/719); Bill Mott, $9,801,660 (95/691); Jerry Hollendorfer, $9,775,311 (188/1,078); and Kiaran McLaughlin, $9,459,634 (73/402).
Topping the list by wins for a third straight year was Karl Broberg, who earned 367 victories. He was followed by Asmussen at 317, Pletcher at 274, Robertino Diodoro at 242, and Casse at 235.
