| Net Worth | N/A |
| Born | January 24, 1959 |
| Height | N/A |
| Gender | Male |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| Source of Wealth | Horse Trainer |
The Jerkens family is among the most decorated families in the horse racing industry. And Jimmy Jerkens is continuing to add to that legacy.
Find out how much Jimmy Jerkens’ net worth is and the history of his legendary family in the article below.
A Little Background Info on Jimmy
- James “Jimmy” Jerkens is the son of H. Allen “Chief” Jerkens, a Hall of Fame trainer, and his first wife, Ann.
- After graduating from high school, Jimmy began to work for his father until opening his own stable in 1997.
- Jerkens has trained numerous graded stakes winners, including Artie Schiller, who won the Breeders’ Cup Mile, and Corinthian, Sir Greely, and Dat You Miz Blue, who won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
- Jerkens trained Effinex to three graded stakes victories in 2015, including the Grade 1 Clark Handicap and a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic behind American Pharoah.
- In 2016, Jimmy debuted Unified, a promising 3-year-old, winning three straight races, including the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes and the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes.
Jimmy Jerkens’ Net Worth
With numerous such wins, the horse trainer has accumulated a vast sum of money. According to Equibase, Jimmy Jerkens’ earnings as of April 2023 are about over $61 million.
A detailed breakdown of Jimmy Jerkens’ income from the past few years has been shown below:
| Year | Starts | Earnings | Per Start |
| Career | 4,251 | $61,431,603 | $14,451 |
| 2023 | 12 | $141,380 | $11,782 |
| 2022 | 49 | $365,995 | $7,469 |
| 2021 | 96 | $1,098,609 | $11,444 |
| 2020 | 101 | $788,611 | $7,808 |
Table Source: Equibase
Jerkens rode Wicked Strong, a 3-year-old son of Hard Spun and Wood Memorial (Grade 1) champion, to fourth place in the 2014 Kentucky Derby. Wicked Strong would go on to win the Jim Dandy Stakes in 2014.
Later that summer, Jerkens swept the top two slots in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes when V. E. Day beat stablemate Wicked Strong in the 1 1/4-mile “mid-summer Derby” at Saratoga.
As you can see, Jimmy has earned a decent figure every year and accumulated a fortune to his name. Although the amount is yet to be divulged, we can assume that Jimmy Jerkens’ net worth is a notable sum.
Continuing The Family Legacy
As mentioned earlier, Jimmy is the son of the legendary horse trainer H. Allen Jerkins, also known as ‘The Chief‘ and ‘Giant Killer.’
The senior Jerkens had won a total of 3859 victories, making him one of the highest-rated trainers of all time.
Unfortunately, the legendary trainer sadly passed away on March 18, 2015.
Hard to believe it’s been 6 years. We miss you . #TheChief pic.twitter.com/bnD1aPZkkU
— J Jerkens Racing (@J_JerkensRacing) March 19, 2021
In 1986, Jimmy lost his mother, and then his father decided to get married again. H. Allen’s second wife, Elisabeth Jerkens, was also a thoroughbred owner and breeder who ran her horses under the name Hardwicke Stables.
Having grown up around horses his entire life, it was no surprise that Jimmy also developed an interest in horses. Jimmy has two brothers, Allen Jerkens Jr. and Steven Jerkens, and a sister, Julie Schneider.
Jimmy Jerkens’ brother Steven is also a renowned horse trainer like him and their dad. The brothers are building on the foundations their father and mother left and splendidly carrying on the tradition.
As a prominent trainer, Jimmy Jerkens’ fortune will see a further surge. Hopefully, he continues earning well.
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Moving to Saudi Arabia
The younger Jerkens has carved out a successful career for himself over the previous 25 years. However, those accomplishments seem eons ago to Jerkens, 64.
That is why, starting May of 2023, Jerkens has decided to leave New York – and the United States – to train for Prince Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud in Saudi Arabia. He has a two-year deal and will own 50 to 60 horses.
While happy for this new chance, Jerkens was saddened by the prospect of leaving the United States. Jimmy Jerkens’ wife, Shirley Jerkens, a teacher, will join him in Saudi Arabia once her school year finishes, according to Jerkens.
Just like in the States, Jimmy might earn considerably in Saudi Arabia. So, it will be interesting to know how much Jimmy Jerkens’ fortune will be in the future.
Trivia and Facts
- Jimmy is widely considered one of the best-thoroughbred racing trainers.
- He trained Artie Schiller to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) in 2005.
- He became the first trainer to win both mile races on racing’s championship weekend when he saddled Corinthian to victory in the first $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
- His distinguished history also includes two Travers Stakes triumphs, Saratoga’s “Mid-Summer Derby.”
- On the NYRA circuit, Jerkens is the primary Centennial trainer.
- He lives in New York year-round but takes a string of horses to Florida each winter.
