Trainer Graham Motion claimed the top prize of $50,000 in the Maryland Jockey Club's $100,000 trainer bonus, which was offered to horsemen for participation in stakes races over GI Preakness S. weekend at Pimlico.
To be eligible for the bonus, trainers had to start a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races. Points were assigned based on finish position–first (10), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and fifth through last (one). The trainer with the most points earned $50,000, followed by $25,000 for second, $12,000 for third, $7,000 for fourth, $4,000 for fifth and $2,000 for sixth.
Motion, who celebrated his 59th birthday Monday, saddled seven horses in three stakes overall over the two days, which included Nagirroc (Lea) winning in the Listed James W. Murphy S., three of the top five finishers in the GIII Gallorette S. and two of the top four finishers in the GIII Dinner Party S. Overall the veteran conditioner earned 34 points, three more than runner-up Chad Brown.
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