After peeking at Equibase’s data on the top earning horses with at least one start in North America in 2023, I realized I had seen and photographed a large number of them. Many of them passed through Saratoga this summer, and still more I saw when I was in Kentucky. In this post I will share stats and photos of the top 100 earners that I had a chance to photograph.
Smokin’ T comes in at 98 with earnings of $573,890. The Shug McGaughey trainee is pictured here after winning the Lure Stakes at Saratoga.
Soldier Rising is 97, with earnings of $582,500. The Christophe Clément trainee actually had zero wins this year, but placed in five graded stakes races.
Casa Creed is 87, with earnings of $599,250. This summer at Saratoga, the Bill Mott trainee won both the Grade III Kelso Stakes and the Grade I Fourstardave Handicap in a repeat victory.
Matareya is 85, with earnings of $602,650. The Brad Cox trainee’s sole victory this year was in the Grade I Derby City Distaff Stakes at Churchill Downs in May.
Heavenly Sunday is 81, with earnings of $626,050. The Brad Cox trainee had two victories this year at Churchill Downs, in the Grade II Edgewood Stakes and the Grade III Mrs. Revere Stakes.
Ryvit is 78, with earnings of $629,659. The Steve Asmussen trainee had six wins this year, including the Grade III Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico.
Caravel is 75, with earnings of $652,175. The Brad Cox trainee’s biggest win this year was in the Grade I Jaipur Stakes at Belmont.
Verifying is 74, with earnings of $654,956. The Brad Cox trainee’s lone victory this year came in the Grade III Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Secret Oath is 71, with earnings of $676,350. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee’s lone victory this year came in the Grade II Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park in March.
Vergara is 69, with earnings of $681,055. The Graham Motion trainee’s sole victory this year came in the Grade III Aristocrat Ladies Marathon Stakes at Kentucky Downs.
Defining Purpose is 66, with earnings of $688,300. The Ken McPeek trainee had two graded stakes wins this year, the Grade I Ashland Stakes at Keeneland and the Grade III Indiana Oaks at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Program Trading is 62, with earnings of $695,250. The Chad Brown trainee is seen here after winning the Grade I Saratoga Derby at…where else? Saratoga.
Zandon is 60, with earnings of $715,000. Until recently winless since last year’s Grade I Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, the Chad Brown trainee finally returned to the winner’s circle this fall with the Grade II Woodward Stakes.
Rattle N Roll is 59, with earnings of $717,630. The Ken McPeek trainee won an impressive three graded stakes this year.
Fev Rover is 49, with earnings of $787,320. The Mark Casse trainee won two Grade Is this year.
Bright Future is 47, with earnings of $794,100. The Todd Pletcher trainee won the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.
Webslinger is 46, with earnings of $795,720. The Mark Casse trainee’s biggest win this year came in the Grade II American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Hoist the Gold is 45, with earnings of $812,495. The Dallas Stewart trainee won two graded stakes this year.
In Italian is 41, with earnings of $866,250. The Chad Brown trainee won two Grade Is this year.
Saudi Crown is 40, with earnings of $877,085. The Brad Cox trainee’s biggest win this year came in the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.
Far Bridge is 39, with earnings of $896,900. The Todd Pletcher trainee won the Grade I Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes at…where else? Belmont.
Disarm is 36, with earnings of $930,450. The Steve Asmussen trainee finished in the money in six graded stakes, and won the Grade III Matt Winn Stakes at Ellis Park.
Randomized is 35, with earnings of $930,750. The Chad Brown trainee is pictured here before winning the Grade I Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, her biggest win of the year.
Gunite is 34, with earnings of $977,075. The Steve Asmussen trainee is pictured here on his way to win the Grade I Forego Stakes at Saratoga, his biggest win of the year.
Red Route One is 32, with earnings of $989,850. The Steve Asmussen trainee won the Grade III West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer.
Derma Sotogake is 31, with earnings of $1,020,000. The Hidetaka Otonashi trainee finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Breeders’ Cup classic in his two North American starts.
Nobals is 30, with earnings of $1,037,225. The Larry Rivelli trainee’s biggest win this year came in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Last Samurai is 25, with earnings of $1,107,575. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee won two graded stakes this year.
Clairiere is 24, with earnings of $1,150,800. The Steve Asmussen trainee won the Grade I Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont for the second time this year.
Tapit Trice is 23, with earnings of $1,156,700. The Todd Pletcher trainee won the Grade I Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland en route to the Kentucky Derby.
Wet Paint is 22, with earnings of $1,160,775. The Brad Cox trainee won the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga this year.
Get Smokin is 21, with earnings of $1,171,365. The Mark Casse trainee won the Grade II Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes at Kentucky Downs.
Goodnight Olive is 20, with earnings of $1,176,250. The Chad Brown trainee scored a repeat victory in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint this year.
National Treasure is 18, with earnings of $1,315,000. The Bob Baffert trainee won the Preakness Stakes this year.
Just F Y I is 17, with earnings of $1,317,750. The Bill Mott trainee was undefeated in three starts this year, including the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Forte is 15, with earnings of $1,434,680. The Todd Pletcher trainee won three grade stakes this year.
Angel of Empire is 14, with earnings of $1,446,375. The Brad Cox trainee won the Grade I Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn en route to the Kentucky Derby.
Elite Power is 12, with earnings of $1,470,000. The Bill Mott trainee scored a repeat victory in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Sprint this year.
Pretty Mischievous is 10, with earnings of $1,703,250. The Brendan Walsh trainee won the Grade I Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs this year.
Arcangelo is 9, with earnings of $1,742,300. The Jena Antonucci trainee posted victories in both the Belmont and Travers Stakes this year.
Cody’s Wish is 8, with earnings of $1,773,900. The Bill Mott trainee scored a repeat victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile this year.
Proxy is 7, with earnings of $1,793,750. The Michael Stidham trainee won two graded stakes this year.
Art Collector is 6, with earnings of $1,898,800. The Bill Mott trainee won the Grade I Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January. Sadly, Art Collector passed away over the summer at Saratoga.
Idiomatic is 4, with earnings of $2,400,280. The Brad Cox trainee scored eight victories this year, including the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Up to the Mark is 3, with earnings of $2,427,650. The Todd Pletcher trainee won three Grade Is this year.
Mage is 2, with earnings of $2,507,450. The Gustavo Delgado trainee won the Kentucky Derby this year.
And finally, White Abarrio is 1, with earnings of $3,883,800. The Rick Dutrow trainee won the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
To see more of my equine photography be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and X. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
Liked this post? Subscribe by email below to receive future posts!
One thought on “The Top Earning North American Horses of 2023”
Comments are closed.
Interesting and great photos!