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Winning the Kentucky Derby is one of the most prestigious accomplishments in American sports.
The Run for the Roses not only is the annual kickoff to the Triple Crown season and “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” but also etches the winning horse and its jockey into history. It can also launch a jockey’s career for future races at Churchill Downs.
REQUIRED READING:Kentucky Derby Day races 2024: Live updates from Saturday’s undercards at Churchill Downs
The Derby — which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year — also piques curiosity each year as to how much the winning horse of the Kentucky Derby is awarded. After all, horse racing is an earnings profession by performances for horse owners and jockeys. And this year features a purse unlike any in the event’s history.
With that, here’s the purse, winner’s share and payout for the 2024 Kentucky Derby, the richest ever from Churchill Downs:
Kentucky Derby money 2024: Payout, purse
As previously reported by the Courier-Journal, the Kentucky Derby has a record purse for 2024 at $5 million. That’s a $2 million increase since 2019’s purse, which was $3 million.
“These record purse increases are a symbol of the health of horse racing in Kentucky,” CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated Bill Carstanjen said in a statement. “Churchill Downs Incorporated’s over $1 billion investment into live and historical horse racing in Kentucky over the last five years has meaningfully strengthened the entire Kentucky Derby Week and year-round racing program.”
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Kentucky Derby payout for winners
The guaranteed $5 million purse is split across the top five finishers of horse racing’s marquee event. The owners of Mage, the winner of the 2023 Kentucky Derby, were awarded $1.86 million out of last year’s $3 million purse — 62% of the entire purse.
That winner payout will raise to $3.1 million in 2024 — $100,000 more than the entire purse from 2023.
As noted by CNBC in 2019, jockeys receive a 10% cut of the winning payout for the Kentucky Derby. Time will tell with a bigger purse this year if that percentage for the jockey increases or not.
Kentucky Derby prize money for top five finishers
Here’s the full breakdown for the Kentucky Derby amongst the top-five finishers:
- 1st place: $3.1 million
- 2nd place: $1 million
- 3rd place: $500,000
- 4th place: $250,000
- 5th place: $150,000
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