With just three weeks remaining in the calendar year, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has established an unprecedented single-season earnings benchmark, exceeding $39.4 million as of December 7th. Ortiz, Jr. has surpassed his own previous record of $39.1 million, which he achieved in 2023. Considering there are several more graded stakes events scheduled, Ortiz Jr. may reach $40 million in earnings by the close of 2025. He currently holds a lead of over $332,000 against Flavien Prat in North American earnings among all jockeys for 2025.
Within the Equibase rankings for various equine divisions, three particular race outcomes at Aqueduct on December 6th generated significant shifts. The ultimate running of the Cigar Mile Handicap, held at the Big A, delivered an exciting contest. Bishops Bay narrowly secured a neck victory over the persistent longshot Mika in the race’s closing stages for trainer Brad Cox, with Flavien Prat in the saddle. Bishops Bay recorded the highest winning Equibase Speed Figure in North America last week, scoring a 114. This marked the Uncle Mo colt’s fourth graded stakes win and sixth overall victory for the year, propelling him rapidly up the Equibase leaderboard to 69th in the overall standings and 30th in the division for males aged four and above, accumulating $743,600 in 2025 earnings. Notably, Bishops Bay now boasts an unblemished 3-for-3 record on the Aqueduct dirt, a 4-for-4 record at the mile distance, and a perfect 6-for-6 record when ridden by Prat.
Competitions on December 6th at Aqueduct, which serve as stepping stones toward next spring’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and Longines Kentucky Oaks, influenced the 2025 juvenile standings. Paladin, a two-year-old colt by Gun Runner, emerged as the newest contender on the Kentucky Derby path, securing 10 points with a two-length victory in the Remsen Stakes for trainer Chad Brown with Prat aboard. Paladin’s effort in the Remsen was made even more remarkable by the fact that he lost his front right shoe during the race. With his earnings now totaling $184,250, Paladin climbed the leaderboard to 37th in the division for two-year-old male horses.
The Demoiselle Stakes, one of merely two Kentucky Oaks preparatory races conducted over the identical 1 1/8-mile distance as the Oaks itself, was won by Zany, a two-year-old filly sired by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. The Todd Pletcher trainee delivered an authoritative performance, pulling away convincingly to win by 8 ½ lengths and achieving a 96 Equibase Speed Figure under the guidance of the in-form Irad Ortiz Jr. After acquiring 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, Zany ascended into the top 100 in her category and now occupies the 49th position among juvenile fillies, having earned $161,500.
Brad Cox and Chad Brown, who currently occupy the leading and second positions respectively in the 2025 trainer standings, both experienced exceptionally productive weeks. Cox recorded four victories from eight starters and led all trainers with $509,427 in total earnings, while Brown demonstrated comparable efficiency by securing five wins from eight starts, accumulating $401,280 in earnings. The Cox stable now maintains an advantage of more than $5 million over Brown in 2025 North American earnings and appears to have solidified its position at the top for the year.
Comprehensive lists detailing North American leaders for horses, jockeys, trainers, and owners are accessible on equibase.com, and users can customize the data view by selecting from a wide range of categories including age, gender, track surface, and specific race types.
