Hronis Racing, End Zone Athletics Top 2018 Owner Lists
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Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Kosta Hronis greets jockey Joel Rosario after Gift Box's win in the San Antonio Stakes
Already among the top owners in California, brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis' Hronis Racing topped the North American earnings list for the first time in 2018.
Powered by Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Accelerate , Hronis Racing earned $7,344,810 with 41 wins from 259 starts. Besides winning the Classic, Accelerate won four other grade 1 races and earned just more than $5 million in 2018.
After the Breeders' Cup, Kosta Hronis, 59, of Delano, Calif., said patience was a key with Accelerate, who is trained by John Sadler.
"He's been a very classy horse," he said. "I think the fact that we took our time with him (was important). He ran late as a 3-year-old, (and) we brought him along as a (4-year-old) with all intentions of running him as a 5-year-old, because that's when we thought he would be at his best, and it's worked out."
Other top horses to race in 2018 for Hronis Racing include grade 2 winners Gift Box and Catalina Cruiser, as well as grade 3 winner Yuvetsi.
Though Hronis Racing finished atop the owner standings by earnings, Karl Broberg's End Zone Athletics secured the most North American wins, with 292 from 1,044 starts, which also led the nation. Based near Delta Downs and racing primarily in the Southwest, End Zone Athletics ranked first by wins for a third straight season and earned more than $4.2 million in purses in 2018, which ranked 11th in North America.
Karl Broberg
Top horses for End Zone Athletics in 2018 include stakes winner Social Misfit and stakes-placed Zella Rose.
Ranked second in North American wins in 2018 was Loooch Racing Stables (215 wins/917 starts), followed by Bruno Schickedanz (160/856).
Completing the list of top 10 owners by North American earnings in 2018 were Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm $7,002,280 (one win/two starts), which campaigned Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) winner Gun Runner ; Calumet Farm, $6,348,640 (86/599); Godolphin Racing, $5,587,365 (68/306); Juddmonte Farms, $5,266,043 (25/116); Gary and Mary West, $4,883,965 (46/204); Gary Barber, $4,824,614 (70/371); China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing, and WinStar Farm, $4,698,400 (7/9); Loooch Racing Stables, $4,418,484; and Ken and Sarah Ramsey, $4,388,120 (86/436).