Full prize purse for winners and participants

The 152nd running of the roses is set for Saturday, May 3, at Churchill Downs. As the first and often most-discussed leg of the Triple Crown, Louisville takes on a life of its own on the first Saturday in May, whether it be the fashion statements, celebrity sightings or friendly wagers. The latter is the topic of this article, however, as the expected revenue goes into the likely payouts.

Renegade opened as the early favorite for the Derby, having won both of his races to start the year. Behind the 3-year-old stallion were Commandment and Further Ado. As of Thursday, only three horses had odds in the single digits. The weather forecast could play a role in that determination, of course. No matter if the winning horse is a favorite or longshot, there’s plenty of money to be made, especially as the purse continues to increase year over year.

152nd Kentucky Derby purse: Total purse, winner’s share

The 150th Kentucky Derby set the record for largest purse, and Churchill Downs hasn’t changed a thing in the two years since. That’s right, the winner of the Run for the Roses will receive a $3.1 million payouts. The total purse is $5 million, meaning $1.9 million can be split among the other finishers. With 62 percent of the total purse going to the winner, you can understand why owners, trainers and even jockeys will go to extreme lenghts to compete in the race.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Some horse racing fans understandably will have wanted the pursue to increase year over year, but Churchill Downs seems to have found their sweet spot. The Kentucky Derby has the largest purse of any triple crown race by a wide margin, as the Belmont and Preakness offer purses of just $2 million.

152nd Kentucky Derby purse: Payout, prize money for finishing position

As mentioned, $3.1 million of the record-tying $5 million prize goes to the winner. Of that $3.1 million, much of it is allocated to the owner, trainer and jockey, along with any other expenditures for the horse. But how much do the second and third place finishers make?

The $1 million payout for finishing second in the Kentucky Derby is half of what the winner of the Belmont Stakes or Preakness will receive. That just showcases the difference in popularity between the Kentucky Derby — marketed as one giant high-society party — and the other two legs of the triple crown.

In 2024, the Kentucky Derby purse was increased from $3 million to $5 million. Assuming the popularity of the event continues to grow, horse racing fans can expect another increase in the not-so-distant future.

Kentucky Derby prize money: How much do trainers and jockeys make?

• Owners: 80% of total purse
• Trainer: 10% of total purse
• Jockey: 10% of total purse

The vast majority of the prize money will go to the owner, but they’re forced to spread the wealth. Owners have salaries to pay, and incentivized payouts to make. Sure, while Robert & Lawana Low and Repole Stable may have bought Renegade at one point or another, they are not the ones who keep up with daily maintenance, trained the horse to run around the track at record speeds, or rode the 3-year-old to a spot in horse racing lore. Do you see my point?

Thus, owners typically pay at least 10 percent of the purse to the winning jockey, and another 10 percent to the trainer. These rates can depend on the status of the jockey or trainer — for example, horse racing legends like Bob Baffert, who has trained two Kentucky Derby winners — may demand more up front. The same can be said of elite jockeys.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow