2026 Kentucky Derby jockeys, purse breakdown: How much prize money will the winning jockey will take home?

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The 2026 Kentucky Derby field is set and post positions have been assigned for the 152nd Run for the Roses, with the morning line favorite, Renegade, at 4-1 and running out of the 1 gate.

The field of challengers is headlined by last year’s Derby-winning jockey Junior Alvarado riding Chief Wallabee, trained by Bill Mott, running out of the 12 gate at 8-1 and two horses trained by Brad Cox — Commandment and Further Ado — at 6-1.

The Kentucky Derby is the sport’s most prestigious race, and while everyone wants to take home the rose garland, they’re also vying for a piece of one of the richest purses in all of horse racing. Let’s take a closer look at how all the money breaks down.

Kentucky Derby 2026 odds, post positions, picks, date, time: Renegade, Further Ado, Commandment predictions

Ross Kelly

2026 Kentucky Derby purse breakdown

The 2026 Kentucky Derby will once again feature a $5 million purse, paid out to the top five horses in the field. The purse increased from $3 million to $5 million in 2024 ahead of the landmark 150th Kentucky Derby and has remained there since. The winner of the race will take home $3.1 million (more than the entire purse was back in 2023), while the horse that finishes second will still pull down $1 million. The full purse breakdown for the top 5 horses in the field looks like this:

First: $3.1 million
Second: $1 million
Third: $500,000
Fourth: $250,000
Fifth: $150,000

How much will the winning jockey make?

Jockeys at the Kentucky Derby negotiate a guaranteed riding fee of at least $500 to run the race, but there is a potential for a massive payday for the riders that finish in the money. The typical prize split for the winning horse is 80% going to the owners, 10% to the trainer and 10% to the jockey. Last year, Junior Alvarado took home $310,000 for riding Sovereignty to the winner’s circle and will look to go back-to-back on Chief Wallabee this year.

With the purse remaining the same for this year, the winning jockey in the 152nd Run for the Roses will earn that same $310,000 prize — with some of that money going to the jockey’s agent and valet as well. The jockeys who finish in second and third typically take home 5% of the purse, which is $50,000 and $25,000, respectively.