Steve Asmussen, the all-time winningest trainer in North America, became the first trainer to surpass one million in earnings for 2025, taking the lead among all North American trainers as January nears its end. Asmussen posted an incredible 14 wins last week and 29 in-the-money finishes from 60 starts with $653,327 in earnings, bringing his total to $1,050,372. Included in his 14 wins last week were three stakes victories last Friday at Sunland Park in New Mexico. Asmussen has two entries in Saturday’s Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, a Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve prep race.

The most recent stop on the Kentucky Derby trail came last Saturday in the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. Disco Time, a homebred for Juddmonte Farms trained by Brad Cox, became the new earnings leader in the 2025 Equibase standings for all racehorses after he nabbed $150,000 from his narrow victory in the Lecomte over Built and Innovator. A son of Not This Time, Disco Time improved to an undefeated three wins in as many starts and his 20 points earned moved him to third on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Among jockeys, Manny Franco continues to find the winner’s circle often this year, notching five more wins and $293,351 in earnings last week, bringing his yearly total up to 14 wins and securing the lead among all North American jockeys in earnings with $823,571. Franco had three wins from six mounts on Sunday at Aqueduct; he leads that track’s winter meet by wins and earnings.

Jose Ortiz moved up eight spots last week into second in the standings. Ortiz had eight wins from 29 starts last week including a three-win day Fair Grounds on Monday. Tyler Gaffalione, now ranked third in the standings with $729,330 in earnings, rode at a 21% clip last week including a four-win day Saturday at Gulfstream Park.