The Kentucky Derby is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world, and it’s also one of the richest. At least $2 million in prize money is handed out each year for the fastest horses in The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports, but exactly how is all that money handed out and to whom?
The minimum gross purse for grabs at the Kentucky Derby is $2 million guaranteed, putting it in the top 10 among horse races worldwide. Only the top-five finishers in the Kentucky Derby will get a share of that purse, though. The remaining horses don’t get a dollar. The amounts the top five will receive are enumerated on the table above.
While the prize money for the 2nd-5th place horses are set as is, the prize money for the winner may still rise depending on how many horses start the race.
In 2010 and 2012, all 20 horses started with no scratches, and the winner in those years received upwards of $1.45 million. But in 2011, 2013 and 2014, the Derby had 19 starters, and the winner in those years averaged $1.41 million. Last year, there were only 18 starters due to multiple scratches, and American Pharoah only took home the minimum $1.24 million.
The current odds have Nyquist as the +250 favorite to come away with the $1.24 million (or more) first-place prize money in this year’s race. Meanwhile, Mohaymen (+600) and Mor Spirit (+800) are also decent bets to fall within the money-making top-five even if they come up short of victory.
