How much is Todd Pletcher worth?
| Net Worth: | $280 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Horse Trainer |
| Date of Birth: | June 26, 1967 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | Unknown |
About Todd Pletcher
American thoroughbred horse trainer Todd Pletcher, who was born on June 26, 1967, is thought to have a net worth of $280 million. On Labor Day 2014, Protonico, a homebred owned by International Equities Holding, won the Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing, marking Pletcher’s milestone 1,000th career victory. He joins his master D. Wayne Lukas as the only other trainers to accomplish this feat.
Win #3000
In the third race at Gulfstream Park on February 11, 2012, Todd Pletcher and Spring Hill Farm became the 26th trainer to reach 3000 victories. Jack Van Berg leads the list of active trainers with 6,410 victories, putting him in position 17. He stated: “There aren’t many occasions to reflect in this business, but completing something like this offers you the chance to do so. One of them is this. It’s been a fantastic run, and I’ve been quite fortunate to have had a lot of wonderful owners, horses, helpers, and staff. It’s been really enjoyable.” On the same card, he went on to triumph in two other contests, including the Hutcheson Stakes with Thunder Moccasin.
Starting early
On June 27, 1967, Todd Pletcher was born in Dallas. Todd began helping his father, Jake Pletcher, train Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses when he was a little boy. He attended the University of Arizona for his undergraduate studies and earned a degree in Animal Science there in 1989. He worked at the track and completed his internship in California over the summers under the famous Charlie Whittingham.
Following graduation, Pletcher began working as a foreman before transitioning into a support role for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. He spent seven years with Lukas and continues to emulate his instructor in many ways, including always donning a nice suit and utilizing white bridles on his horses. In February 1996, Majestic Number at Gulfstream Park became his first victory. He then launched his own public stable in December 1995.
Creating winners for the stakes
Jersey Girl, who won the Astoria at Belmont Park and was the first of several New York stakes victories for Pletcher, was his first significant stakes winner. Before being forced to retire due to injury, she went on to win seven straight stakes races, including three Grade Ones. He shipped Archers Bay to Canada in 1998, where it won the Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes for owner Eugene Melnyk, whose stable he still works for today. 2010 saw him finally take home the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver from WinStar Farm.
Grade One winners
Over the years, he has produced numerous stakes winners, but 2006 was a standout year with the following winners: Bishop Court Hill (Carter), Bluegrass Cat (Haskell), Circular Quay (Hopeful), English Channel (Woodford Reserve, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, United Nations), Fleet Indian (Beldame, Personal Ensign), Go Deputy (Sword Dancer), Honey Ryder (Flower Bowl), Magnificent Song (Garden City), Pool Land (R (American Oaks, Yellow Ribbon.) Her Smile, Awesome Maria, Buster’s Ready, Hilda’s Passion, and Stay Thirsty were among his Grade 1 wins in 2011. Here are all of his most recent prize winners.
Eclipse Award winners who were trained
Left Bank, the 2002 Champion Older Male, was the inaugural recipient of a Pletcher’s Eclipse Award. Uncle Mo, Rags to Riches, Lawyer Ron, English Channel, Wait a While, Fleet Indian, Speightstown, Ashado (twice), Shanghai Bobby, and Left Bank are the 10 divisional champions Pletcher has so far trained.
Awards and victories
In recent years, Pletcher has garnered numerous honors and victories, including the Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Trainer in 2004 and 2005. For the past few years, he has dominated the Saratoga meet, winning the top trainer award six times, including the last five years in a row. Along with victories at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland, he has won other trainer championships at New York racetrack. He seems to be headed for his ninth consecutive Gulfstream training championship as of February 2012. Six Eclipse Awards have been given to Pletcher for being a great trainer, and he has topped the country in purses six times, notably in 2011 and 2012.
Breeders Cup triumph
Chapel Royal, who finished third in the 2003 Juvenile, earned him his first place at the Breeders’ Cup, followed by Ashado, who finished second in the 2003 Juvenile Fillies. In 2004 at Lone Star Park in his home state of Texas, Pletcher won his first Breeders’ Cup races when Ashado won the Distaff and Speightstown won the Sprint. In total, he has produced seven Breeders’ Cup champions, including Shanghai Bobby in the 2012 Juvenile, Uncle Mo in the 2010 Juvenile (G1), Pluck in the 2011 Juvenile Turf and More Than Real in the 2011 Juvenile Fillies Turf. In addition, English Channel won the 2007 Turf (G1), Ashado won the 2004 Distaff (G1), and Speightstown won the 2004 Sprint (G1).
Louisville Derby
The 2013 Belmont Stakes was won by Pletcher’s Palace Malice, who was ridden by Mike Smith. Four of his horses competed in the 2014 Kentucky Derby, including Danza, Intense Holiday, Vinceremos, and We Miss Artie. More of his horses competed in the 141st Kentucky Derby in May 2015, including Materiality, Itsaknockout, and Carpe Diem. They placed sixth, ninth, and tenth, respectively. He won the Kentucky Derby again in 2017 with Always Dreaming, which Chris Murphy of Long Island cared for and watched after (Nephew to the Eclipse Award winner of 1986, Declan Murphy).
Summing-Up
One of the wealthiest horse trainers in the USA, if not the wealthiest of them all, is Todd Pletcher. His current net worth is anticipated to be $280 million as of 2023. He earned a record-breaking $21 million in a single season in 2005! The next year, in 2006, he exceeded it, earning $28 million, and he has maintained this trend ever since.
Todd has spent his entire life with horses. When he was only seven years old, he assisted his father as a hot walker. Horse management techniques such as hand walking hot, sweaty horses after a workout are known as “hot walking.” Pletcher attended the University of Arizona for his undergraduate studies and belonged to the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 1989.
Following graduation, all of his occupations involved horses once more. As he climbed the corporate ladder to master horse training, he held positions as a foreman, assistant trainer, and finally trainer. In 1995, Pletcher obtained his trainer’s license. Majestic Number, one of his best horses, won its debut race just a year later.
Pletcher, his wife Tracy, and their three children reside in New York as of 2023, where they share their enormous wealth.
