Maker Earns Preakness Weekend Trainer Bonus

Mike Maker edged defending champion Brad Cox and two-time winner Steve Asmussen to claim the top prize in the Maryland Jockey Club's $100,000 Sentient Jet Trainer Bonus offered to horsemen for their participation in stakes races over Preakness Weekend, Oct. 1-3, at Pimlico Race Course.

Maker led the way with 43 points, three more than Cox and Asmussen, to earn a $50,000 bonus. Maker registered wins with 2-year-old colt Catman in the $150,000 Laurel Futurity and 3-year-old filly Evil Lyn in the $100,000 Hilltop Stakes on the Oct. 3 undercard of the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1).

Also Saturday, Maker ran second and third with Somelikeithotbrown and Hembree in the $250,000 Dinner Party Stakes (G2T). Maker also finished third in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes (G3) with Relentless Dancer.

Cox and Asmussen tied for second with 40 points apiece, each taking home $18,500. Fair Hill-based trainer Graham Motion came in fourth with 37 points and earned a $7,000 bonus. Rounding out the top five was Claudio Gonzalez with 29 points, good for a $4,000 bonus. 

To be eligible, trainers had to run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend. Points were accumulated for finishing first (10), second (seven), third (five), and fourth (three) and by having a starter (one).