![]() It was the eighth straight year that the 30-year-old topped the 300-win mark. Ortiz, a winner of this same award for three straight years between 2018-20, led the nation with 325 wins and also set a single-season earnings record of $37,075,772 in 2022. While the 'big four' led much of the Grade I activity for the 55-year-old last year, he also earned top-level victories with Chocolate Gelato ( Practical Joke) (GI Frizette S.), Annapolis ( War Front) (GI Coolmore Turf Mile S.) and Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) (GI Cigar Mile H.).Ī three-win showing over Breeders' Cup weekend sealed the deal on a fourth career Eclipse Award for jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. ![]() win with Mo Donegal ( Uncle Mo), who led home a 1-2 finish for the trainer. Pletcher was also represented by a second Horse of the Year finalist, Malathaat.Īlso notable in 2022, the Dallas, Texas native became the first trainer to sweep both legs of the Pegasus World Cup program with Life Is Good and Colonel Liam ( Liam's Map), who took the turf division, in addition to landing his sixth American Classic while earning his fourth GI Belmont S. Headlining this year's championship class are Forte (Juvenile Colt), Nest ( Curlin) (3-year-old Filly) and Malathaat (Older Dirt Female) ( Curlin), in addition to Horse of the Year and Older Horse finalist Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who had the misfortune of running in the same season as superstar Flightline. While finishing second in earnings behind Brown ($31,057,362) at the conclusion of 2022, Pletcher's season was nothing less than awe-inspiring regardless.īuoyed by 36 graded stakes wins, 17 of those at the Grade I level, he showed his dominance at the Eclipse Awards, with his runners appearing in no less than five divisions. No stranger to the training title with seven prior wins (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 20), Pletcher found himself having to watch from the sidelines as Chad Brown and Brad Cox collectively took down six training titles since 2016. Because what may be a career-defining season for most other trainers in the game, might only be considered par-for-the-course for Pletcher. ![]() These days, it seems that the Hall of Famer's biggest obstacle is simply outdoing himself. And not because he is graced with a power-packed group of runners that many of his contemporaries might offer their first borns to get even a single nugget from the expansive collection of equine jewels lining his shedrow. Not because it's difficult to employ a battalion of employees and run a vast operation across multiple jurisdictions. This is trainer Todd Pletcher's eighth Eclipse Award and the fourth for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., as the pair return to the stage to once again accept these respective honors.
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