KENTUCKY DERBY PURSE 2022: How Much Did The Prize Jockey Earn?
American’s biggest horse race, the Kentucky Derby, took place on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Churchill downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It was officially stated to be the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby presented by wood ford reserve.
The Kentucky derby never disappoints, as this year’s “run for the roses” witnessed yet another amazing moment when this year’s winner, the Rich Strike, started the competition with odds of 80-1.
For the past four successive years, the total purse for the Kentucky Derby has remained the same with a total of $ 3 million. This year’s winner, Rich Strike, trained by Eric R. Reed, jockeyed trained by Sonny Leon, received 60% of the total purse amounting to $1.86 million
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Riders must finish in the top 5 spots to earn from the Kentucky derby purse. Below is a close look at the Kentucky derby purse and payouts to the race’s top 5 finishers in 2022.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID THE WINNER OF THE 2022 KENTUCKY DERBY GET?
As earlier stated, the Kentucky Derby winner takes 60% of the total value of the Kentucky derby purse. Rich Strike received $1,860,000 of the Kentucky derby’s $ 3 million purse for finishing at the 1st spot. Before his victory at the first leg of the Triple Crown, Strike’s total career earnings were around $111,289.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID RICH STRIKES TRAINER AND JOCKEY EARN FROM THE 2022S KENTUCKY DERBY PURSE?
The 60% made from the win isn’t for Rich Strike alone, as both the trainer (Eric Reed) and jockey (Sonny Leon) earned 10% of all earnings each. That’s about $186,000 each. This was Eric Reed’s and Sonny Leon’s first derby entry. Guess they got all lucky to make such a good amount in a matter of hours.
However, not all the 10% awarded goes to the jockey’s pocket. The first-place jockey will pay a 25% fee to their agent and a 5% tip to the footmen who assisted the jockey in preparing their gear for the race. Taxes also had to be paid on the winnings as the $186,000 (10%) quickly cuts down to 50,000
DID OTHER RIDERS GAIN FROM THE 2022’S KENTUCKY DERBY PURSE?
There’s definitely a prize for the top 5 from the Kentucky derby purse finishers as 40% were disbursed amongst 4.
The second-place finisher Epicenter received a huge sum of $600,000 but certainly didn’t end trainer Steve Asmussen’s 0 for-24 derby deficit. Zandon, on the other hand, was awarded $300,000 for finishing third, while Simplification earned $150,000 for coming fourth. Mo Donegal, who crossed at the fifth position, won $90,000
Just like the winner, the second and third place jockey also gets a 5% reward from the $600,000 and #300,000, respectively. These jockeys will also share some percentage as the winner with their respective agents and footmen.
Additionally, the fourth and fifth place horses received $100,000 and $60,000 from the Kentucky Derby purse, thereby leaving their jockeys with about $7,000 and $4000, excluding taxes.
