One of the most important events in horse racing is upon us.
The Kentucky Derby, which has been held annually on the first Saturday of May since 1875, is back for its 150th edition.
Winning the Derby is a prestigious achievement within the sport and a career-defining moment for the owners and trainers, but the icing on the cake is the record $5 million million purse that will be awarded to the top five horses and their jockeys.
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With the highly anticipated race approaching, here's a look at the $5 million purse and how it's distributed amongst the winners:
Who gets a part of the Kentucky Derby purse in 2024?
Twenty equines compete in the one-and-a-quarter-mile event, but only the top five finishers in the race will get part of the cash prize.
How much is the Kentucky Derby purse in 2024?
The total purse is $5 million in 2024, up from $3 million in 2023.
How much money does the Kentucky Derby winner take home?
The first-place winner will get $3.1 million, with the jockey taking home $310,000.
The second-place finisher will take home $1 million, the third-place finisher will take home $500,000, the fourth-place finisher will take home $250,000 and the fifth-place finisher will take home $150,000.
How does the Kentucky Derby purse compare to other Triple Crown races?
The Kentucky Derby has the highest purse of the Triple Crown races.
Both the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes have $2 million purses in 2024.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article was published in May 2023.