2026 Kentucky Derby purse: How much prize money the winning jockey will earn
Sovereignty wins the 2025 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Horsephotos.com)
April 22nd, 2026
The jockey who rides the winner of the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs is set to receive a six-figure payday.
With a purse of $5 million, the Kentucky Derby is the second-richest Thoroughbred horse race in North America, trailing only the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). The Kentucky Derby has increased steadily in value since its inaugural running in 1875, when the total purse was a mere $3,050.
But the Kentucky Derby isn’t a winner-takes-all race, and the winner’s share must be split among the owner(s), trainer, and jockey of the winning horse. Even still, the jockey’s share is a lucrative reward.
How much prize money will the 2026 Kentucky Derby-winning jockey earn?
The Kentucky Derby’s $5 million purse is split among the top five finishers. In 2026, the first five horses across the finish line will earn purse money as follows:
1st: $3.1 million
2nd: $1 million
3rd: $500,000
4th: $250,000
5th: $150,000
The rules of the 2026 Kentucky Derby stipulate that each jockey who finishes below third place will receive a minimum $500 riding fee. The top three finishers will earn considerably more.
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Normally, 80% of the winner’s share of the purse goes to the owner(s) of the winning horse, while the trainer and jockey receive 10% apiece. This means the 2026 Kentucky Derby winning jockey will earn $310,000.
But the winning jockey doesn’t keep the entirety of the $310,000. In a typical arrangement, 25% ($77,500) is paid to the jockey’s agent, and 5% ($15,500) goes to the valet who helped the jockey prepare his or her riding gear. This leaves the jockey’s winning payday at $217,000, before taxes.
In addition, the winning jockey receives a trophy.
The jockeys of the runner-up and third-place finisher typically receive 5% of the purse money earned by their horses. Those percentages work out to $50,000 and $25,000; after payments to agents and valets, the paydays drop to $35,000 and $17,500, again before taxes.
From the opening of the starting gate to the crossing of the finish line, the Kentucky Derby takes just over two minutes to complete. But months of preparation lead up to the first Saturday in May, and the jockey who crosses the finish line in first place is well rewarded for their skill and effort.
