Local Horse Trainer Earns 3,000th Win

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mechanicville native Chad Brown notched his 3,000th career victory last Friday when his horse Zulu Kingdom won the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland.

“It was really special. I’ll always remember it,” Brown told the New York Racing Association (NYRA). “It was great to do it in a prestigious race like the Maker’s Mark and with a great horse that has been so consistent.”

According to Equibase, Brown’s career earnings total more than $334 million. He’s won five Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Trainer and has been NYRA’s top trainer nine different years (2015-2022, 2024).

“It’s an achievement shared by so many team members past and present as well as our clients, jockeys, and horses,” Brown said. “It takes a lot over 18 1/2-years now of training horses and there’s so many important people in those groups I’ve mentioned and I’m very appreciative for that.”

Brown’s interest in horse racing was sparked by childhood visits to the Saratoga Race Course, and he accrued early experience in the industry at the local harness track. While studying animal science at Cornell University, Brown spent summers in Saratoga working under Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. Brown later struck out on his own in 2007. 

As of April 13, Brown’s lifetime stats included 12,117 starts; 3,001 wins; and a Win, Place, Show (WPS) percentage of 58.

Brown’s horse Emerging Market is currently ranked 8th on the 2026 Kentucky Derby leaderboard.