The week of Thanksgiving brought not only festive celebration but also a noteworthy schedule of important stakes competitions from various locations. Starting with the 151st edition of the prestigious Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare, continuing to crucial prep races for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks (all taking place at Churchill Downs), and concluding with a remarkable end to the Bing Crosby Meet at Del Mar, the week was full of outstanding performances. The outcomes of these races had an impact on the leading money lists for horses in different categories as calculated by Equibase, and in the jockey rankings, the current frontrunner edged closer to surpassing his own record for yearly earnings that he achieved a couple of years prior.
Back in 2023, Irad Ortiz Jr. established a new North American single-season earnings record for a jockey with a total of $39,193,365. As of 2025, he is on pace to go beyond that accomplishment yet again, as he currently trails his record by only $78,286 with $39,115,079 in earnings so far. During the recent week, Ortiz Jr. was truly exceptional, topping all North American jockeys with 16 victories out of 53 rides (30%) and a sum of $1,779,481 in earnings. Six of those triumphs came in stakes-level competitions. With less than a month left in 2025, he holds a lead of almost $1 million over Flavien Prat in the overall earnings standings.
The Clark Stakes on Friday at Churchill stood out among the graded stakes results, offering a thrilling final stretch duel between the top three finishers: Magnitude, Hit Show, and Chunk of Gold. Magnitude, a significant contender on the Kentucky Derby path earlier in the year under the guidance of trainer Steve Asmussen, has continued to exhibit brilliance throughout his sophomore season despite a nearly five-month absence due to an injury. Since his return in July, the son of Not This Time has shown exceptional form, dominating the Iowa Derby by a margin of 9 ¼ lengths, securing third place in the Grade 1 DraftKings Travers Stakes, and finishing second in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby.
After a brief rest following that effort, Magnitude made a comeback on Friday with another impressive display, claiming victory in the Clark by a half-length and achieving a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 114. This win propelled him past the $1 million mark in earnings for 2025, bringing his total to $1,148,200 for the year, and elevated him 27 positions on Equibase’s overall leaderboard for all horses to 32nd. Additionally, he ascended into the top 10 among 3-year-old males, now holding the ninth spot in that division.
On Saturday at Churchill, the Stars of Tomorrow II event showcased several notable performances by young horses. The Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, which awards 10 qualifying points for the upcoming Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve next spring, was centered around Further Ado, who entered the race following a remarkable 20-length maiden victory. The 2-year-old Gun Runner colt lived up to expectations in the Kentucky Jockey Club, pulling away to win by 1 ¾ lengths for trainer Brad Cox with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle. That victory was one of five that the pair achieved on Saturday’s card, contributing to their respective Fall Meet titles at Churchill. The Kentucky Jockey Club also marked Cox’s 500th career victory at Churchill Downs. With his first graded stakes win, Further Ado climbed to 10th on Equibase’s 2-year-old male earnings leaderboard, now with $320,703.
In a race that followed on Saturday, Godolphin’s Bella Ballerina maintained her undefeated record from two career starts with a half-length victory in the Golden Rod Stakes, a points-earning race for the 2026 Longines Kentucky Oaks. Bella Ballerina moved up to 15th in the 2-year-old filly division with total earnings of $301,525.
Lists of North American leaders for horses, jockeys, trainers, and owners are accessible on equibase.com, where you can sort the data by a wide range of criteria such as age, sex, surface, and race type.
