The ranks are compiled by comparing the performance of each trainer or jockey in three metrics – win percentage, earnings per start, and $2 wagering return on investment – to the average of the jockeys or trainers at that track.

The formula also includes a component designed to reduce scores for trainers and jockeys who have raced significantly less frequently than average in the region in order to give more credence to larger sample sizes. The average for all trainers is 2.426 points; for jockeys, it’s 2.596.

A tweak in the formula this week has had an impact. In previous weeks, we limited the trainers and jockeys to the top 25, by starts, at each track. This week, we incorporated every rider and trainer at each track at which he or she had made at least 10 starts.

That change included many more jockeys and trainers in the rankings than had previously been. Additionally, including more trainers and jocks in the rankings had the effect of reducing the average number of starts, which in turn reduced the penalty suffered by those who have made fewer than average starts.

The list includes racing action from May 15 through August 30. It includes racing from Laurel Park, Delaware Park, Monmouth Park, Parx Racing, Penn National, and Charles Town. Colonial Downs data is incorporated for jockeys only.

TOP MIDLANTIC JOCKEY STANDINGS

Bravo, with 23 wins from just 82 starts at Monmouth Park, has the narrow advantage in our latest rankings over Edwin Gonzalez, who’s won 51 races during the period, most at Penn National, where he’s the runaway leader by wins. While Gonzalez has taken perhaps a more traditional route near the top of the list – riding frequently and being among the leading riders – Bravo has adopted a choosier approach, riding less frequently but in higher-end races. His earnings per start – more than $17,000 – is nearly triple Monmouth’s average.

After the Penn National-based Gonzalez, the next two spots belong to the Charles Town duo of Arnaldo Bocachica (4.464 points) and Christian Hiraldo (4.459) in third and fourth, respectively. The Parx-based Angel Castillo (4.222) rounds out the top five.

Newcomers to the top 10 this week include the eighth- and ninth-place riders, both Parx-based. Jeremy Laprida, who has all 15 of his winners at Parx, is eighth (3.943), while meet leader Mychel Sanchez (41 wins) is ninth, with 3.937 points.

TOP MIDLANTIC TRAINER STANDINGS

The trainer list saw perhaps more upheaval. In part that’s because two trainers who weren’t on the list at all last week are now in the top six. Kevin Patterson – continuing to win at a preposterous rate – was not on last week because he was just outside of Charles Town’s top 25 trainers by starts. And Jorge Duarte, Jr., whose 47 starts would seem to be easily enough for inclusion, was not among the top 25 by starts at any of the three tracks where he operates.

Now, Patterson is second overall with a score of 5.241; he’s won with 14 of 31 starters at Charles Town. And Duarte (4.457 points) is sixth overall. He has 13 wins from 47 starts while sending out starters at Laurel, Monmouth, and Delaware.

Ben Perkins, Jr., fourth a week ago, has moved up to first with 6.227 points. He has 10 wins from 27 starts at Monmouth, but what enabled him to make the jump this past week was the inclusion of more trainers on the list. That reduced the average number of starts per trainer, which in turn reduced the penalty he paid for having fewer starts than average.