ARKANSAS DERBY · UNITED STATES
Arkansas Derby prize money
The Arkansas Derby is worth $1,250,000 for the 2022 running . That makes it the 64th richest of the 997 races on this site and the 19th richest in the United States.
Every figure here is the money the race announces, in the currency it announces it in. The currency control at the top swaps the whole page.
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY $1,250,000
WORLD RANK 64th
RUNNINGS HELD 93
FIRST RUN 1936
What the Arkansas Derby is
Grade I · miles (9 furlongs) · Dirt · Oaklawn Park Race Track,
- Racecourse
- Oaklawn Park Race Track,
- Country
- United States
- Grade
- Grade I
- Distance
- miles (9 furlongs)
- Surface
- Dirt
- Race type
- Thoroughbred
- Open to
- Three-year-olds
- Direction
- Left-handed
- First run
- 1936
We hold the total fund for the Arkansas Derby and no separate winner's cheque. What the winner takes is a rule the racecourse sets rather than a national one, and it varies race by race.
Run in 1:49.70 in 2026, the Arkansas Derby pays $11,395 for every second of the race, which is 58th of the 611 races in horse racing prize money per second and 26th in the United States.
Every Arkansas Derby winner
93 runnings, 1936 to 2026, newest first
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Renegade1:49.70 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Robert Low, Lawana L. Low & Repole Stable |
| 2025 | Sandman1:50.08 | Jose Ortiz | Mark E. Casse | D.J. Stables, St. Elias Stables, West Point Thoroughbreds & CJ Stables |
| 2024 | Muth1:49.54 | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing |
| 2023 | Angel of Empire1:49.68 | Flavien Prat | Brad H. Cox | Albaugh Family Stables |
| 2022 | Cyberknife1:50.42 | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Gold Square LLC |
| 2021 | Super Stock1:50.92 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | Erv Woolsey & Keith Asmussen |
| 2020 | Nadal1:48.34 | Joel Rosario | Bob Baffert | Bolton, Hoyeau, Lipman, Mathiesen |
| 2020 | Charlatan11:48.49 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fredrick Hertrich III, John Fielding, Golconda Stables |
| 2019 | Omaha Beach1:49.91 | Mike E. Smith | Richard E. Mandella | Fox Hill Farms |
| 2018 | Magnum Moon1:49.86 | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Robert Low & Lawana Low |
| 2017 | Classic Empire1:48.93 | Julien Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley |
| 2016 | Creator1:50.14 | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | WinStar Farm |
| 2015 | American Pharoah1:48.52 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables |
| 2014 | Danza1:49.68 | Joe Bravo | Todd A. Pletcher | Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners |
| 2013 | Overanalyze1:51.94 | Rafael Bejarano | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable |
| 2012 | Bodemeister1:48.71 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables |
| 2011 | Archarcharch1:49.34 | Jon Court | William H. Fires | Robert Yagos & Loval Yagos |
| 2010 | Line of David1:49.37 | Jon Court | John W. Sadler | Ike Trash & Dawn Thrash |
| 2009 | Papa Clem1:49.00 | Rafael Bejarano | Gary Stute | Bo Hirsch |
| 2008 | Gayego1:49.63 | Mike E. Smith | Paulo Lobo | Cubanacan Stables |
| 2007 | Curlin1:50.00 | Robby Albarado | Steven M. Asmussen | Midnight Cry Stables & Stonestreet Stables |
| 2006 | Lawyer Ron1:51.38 | John McKee | Robert E. Holthus | James T. Hines Jr. |
| 2005 | Afleet Alex1:48.80 | Jeremy Rose | Tim Ritchey | Cash Is King Stable |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones1:49.41 | Stewart Elliott | John Servis | Roy & Patricia Chapman |
| 2003 | Sir Cherokee1:48.39 | Terry J. Thompson | Michael Tomlinson | Domino Stud |
| 2002 | Private Emblem1:50.20 | Donnie Meche | Steven M. Asmussen | James Cassels & Bob Zollars |
| 2001 | Balto Star1:49.00 | Mark Guidry | Todd A. Pletcher | Anstu Stables |
| 2000 | Graeme Hall1:49.00 | Robby Albarado | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene Melnyk & Laura Melnyk |
| 1999 | Certain21:49.20 | Kent Desormeaux | Leo Azpurua Jr. | B.& J.Williams |
| 1998 | Victory Gallop1:49.80 | Alex Solis | W. Elliott Walden | Prestonwood Farm |
| 1997 | Crypto Star1:49.20 | Pat Day | Wayne Catalano | Darrell & Evelyn Yates |
| 1996 | Zarb's Magic1:49.20 | Ronald Ardoin | W. Bret Thomas | Foxwood Plantation |
| 1995 | Dazzling Falls1:50.60 | Garrett Gomez | Chuck Turco | Chateau Ridge Farm |
| 1994 | Concern1:48.00 | Garrett Gomez | Richard W. Small | Robert E. Meyerhoff |
| 1993 | Rockamundo1:48.00 | Calvin Borel | Oris J. Glass Jr. | Gary & Mary West |
| 1992 | Pine Bluff1:49.40 | Jerry D. Bailey | Thomas Bohannan | Loblolly Stable |
| 1991 | Olympio1:47.60 | Ed Delahoussaye | Ron McAnally | V.H.W. Stables |
| 1990 | Silver Ending1:48.00 | Gary Stevens | Ron McAnally | Ron McAnally & Angelo Costanzo |
| 1989 | Dansil1:49.20 | Larry Snyder | Frank L. Brothers | John A. Franks |
| 1988 | Proper Reality1:48.40 | Jerry D. Bailey | Robert E. Holthus | Mrs. James A. Winn |
| 1987 | Demons Begone1:47.60 | Pat Day | Philip Hauswald | Loblolly Stable |
| 1986 | Rampage1:48.20 | Pat Day | Gary A. Thomas | Nancy Reed & John Reed |
| 1985 | Tank's Prospect1:48.40 | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Eugene V. Klein |
| 1984 | Althea1:46.80 | Pat Valenzuela | D. Wayne Lukas | Helen C. Alexander, David Aykroyd, & Helen Groves |
| 1983 | Sunny's Halo1:49.40 | Ed Delahoussaye | David C. Cross Jr. | David J. Foster |
| 1982 | Hostage1:51.60 | Jeffrey Fell | Willard C. Freeman | Helen Hertz Hexter |
| 1981 | Bold Ego1:50.40 | John Lively | Jack Van Berg | Double B. Ranch & Dr. Joseph Kidd |
| 1980 | Temperence Hill1:50.60 | Darrell Haire | Joseph B. Cantey | Loblolly Stable |
| 1979 | Golden Act1:50.00 | Sandy Hawley | Loren Rettele | W. H. Oldknow & R. W. Phipps |
| 1978 | Esops Foibles1:52.20 | Chris McCarron | Loren Rettele | Jerry Frankel |
| 1977 | Clev Er Tell1:50.60 | Ray Broussard | Homer C. Pardue | Joseph R. Straus Sr. & Izzie Proler |
| 1976 | Elocutionist1:49.20 | John Lively | Paul T. Adwell | Eugene C. Cashman |
| 1975 | Promised City1:51.80 | David E. Whited | Larry Spraker | Big I. Farm |
| 1974 | J.R.'s Pet1:50.60 | Darrel McHargue | Harold Tinker | W. Cal Partee |
| 1973 | Impecunious1:49.60 | Jorge Velásquez | George R. Handy | Mrs. R. L. Feinberg |
| 1972 | No Le Hace1:48.80 | Phil Rubbicco | Homer C. Pardue | Joseph W. Strauss |
| 1971 | Twist The Axe1:49.20 | Garth Patterson | George T. Poole | Pastorale Stable |
| 1970 | Herbalist1:50.20 | Jimmy Nichols | Roy J. Gillem | Greentree Stable |
| 1969 | Traffic Mark1:50.60 | Phil I. Grimm | Ronnie Warren | M/M Robert F. Roberts |
| 1968 | Nodouble1:50.00 | William McKeever | J. Bert Sonnier | Verna Lea Farm |
| 1967 | Monitor1:48.60 | Jimmy Nichols | Harry Trotsek | Claiborne Farm |
| 1966 | Better Sea1:49.20 | Johnny Sellers | Blaine Heap | Scottdale Farm |
| 1965 | Swift Ruler1:52.20 | Larry Spraker | Gin L. Collins | Earl Allen |
| 1964 | Prince Davelle1:51.40 | Charlie Burr | Douglas M. Davis Jr. | George M. Holtsinger |
| 1963 | Cosmic Tip1:50.40 | Robert Mundorf | E. Mahoney | River Divide Farm |
| 1962 | Areopolis1:49.60 | Robert L. Baird | Harold Tinker | August Muckler |
| 1961 | Light Talk1:50.20 | Robert Nono | Steve Ippolito | Jacnot Stable |
| 1960 | Spring Broker1:54.40 | Eugene Curry | Marion Van Berg | Marion Van Berg |
| 1960 | Persian Gold1:53.00 | Jimmy Combest | Monte D. Parke | Jones-Tuckahoe Farm |
| 1959 | Al Davelle1:48.80 | Ronnie Baldwin | Dan Howell | J.Smith, E.Moulder & J.Oldham |
| 1958 | Count Deblanc1:53.80 | Johnny Sellers | Charles C. Norman | Charles W. & Jacob H. Riedinger |
| 1957 | Kentucky Roman1:49.60 | John Delahoussaye | Norman A. McMaster | Ralph Lowe |
| 1956 | Johns Chic1:51.20 | John L. Rotz | Logan Fischer | Mrs. Elizabeth Muckler |
| 1955 | Trim Destiny1:49.60 | Lois C. Cook | Cecil Locklear | G. Rollie White |
| 1954 | Timely Tip1:49.80 | Howard Craig | Reid Armstrong | A. L. Birch |
| 1953 | Curragh King1:49.60 | John H. Adams | James Wallace | Edward M. Goemans |
| 1952 | Gushing Oil1:49.20 | Alfred Popara | Joe Jansen | Sam E. Wilson Jr |
| 1951 | Ruhe1:51.00 | Job Dean Jessop | Robert McGarvey | Emil Denemark |
| 1950 | Big Ike1:52.00 | Harold Keene | Cecil Locklear | C. Buckley |
| 1949 | Cacomo1:54.60 | Billie Fisk | A. Williams | Endovina & Kontos |
| 1948 | Fertile Lands1:51.00 | Paul Glidewell | Marian Barton | Grissom & Sherman |
| 1947 | Fleetridge1:51.40 | Arthur Craig | Roy J. Gillem | Mrs. K. Maxwell |
| 1946 | Bob Murphy1:51.80 | Wendell Eads | Charles Sanborn | D. Ferguson |
| 1945 | Race Not Ran | |||
| 1944 | Challenge Me1:50.20 | Anthony Skoronski | Dan Cataldo | Brolite Farm |
| 1943 | Seven Hearts1:52.20 | John H. Adams | W. Graves Sparks | Brown Hotel Stable |
| 1942 | With Regards1:50.00 | Johnny Longden | T. D. Grimes | T. D. Grimes |
| 1941 | He Rolls1:52.60 | Preston Mills | Victor P. Noyes | Victor P. Noyes |
| 1940 | Super Chief1:52.20 | Jack Richard | Dave Womeldorff | Mrs. Emil Denemark |
| 1939 | Ariel Toy1:52.40 | Lee Hardy | Hugh W. Jackson | Hugh W. Jackson |
| 1938 | Tiger1:50.80 | Alfred Robertson | Robert McGarvey | Milky Way Farm Stable |
| 1937 | Eastport1:50.80 | Ray Hightshoe | E. Russell | Mrs. V. Wyse |
| 1936 | Holl Image1:53.40 | Herb Fisher | Jack Carter | Jack Carter |
92 of the 93 runnings name the rider, 92 name the trainer and 92 name the owner, who is the one of the three the prize money actually belongs to.
Who wins the Arkansas Derby more than once
The fact the table above holds and cannot show
No horse has won the Arkansas Derby twice in the 93 runnings on this page.
Most wins by a trainer
Races worth about the same
Either side of the Arkansas Derby in the world money order
| # | Race | Country | Prize money | As published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | Australian DerbyRandwick Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 54 | Blue Diamond StakesCaulfield Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 55 | Coolmore Stud StakesFlemington Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 56 | Hill StakesRandwick Racecourse, | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 57 | Newmarket HandicapFlemington Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 58 | Spring Champion StakesRandwick Racecourse, | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 59 | Sydney StakesRandwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 60 | Victoria DerbyFlemington Racecourse | Australia | $1,407,407$1.4m | AU$2,000,000 |
| 62 | Grand NationalAintree Racecourse | Great Britain | $1,330,000$1.3m | £1,000,000 |
| 63 | Apple Blossom HandicapOaklawn Park | United States | $1,250,000 | $1,250,000 |
| 65 | Blue Grass StakesKeeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky, USA | United States | $1,250,000 | $1,250,000 |
| 66 | Coolmore Turf Mile StakesKeeneland Race Course | United States | $1,250,000 | $1,250,000 |
| 67 | Japan Breeding Farms' Cup ClassicChanges yearly | Japan | $1,139,544 | ¥170,000,000 |
| 68 | Tokyo DerbyOhi Racecourse | Japan | $1,139,544 | ¥170,000,000 |
| 69 | Arabian World CupLongchamp Racecourse | France | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 70 | Irish DerbyCurragh Racecourse | Ireland | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 71 | Prix de DianeChantilly Racecourse | France | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 72 | Prix Jacques Le MaroisDeauville Racecourse | France | $1,136,752 | €1,000,000 |
| 73 | All Aged StakesRandwick Racecourse | Australia | $1,055,556 | AU$1,500,000 |
| 74 | The Gold RushAscot Racecourse | Australia | $1,055,556 | AU$1,500,000 |
The 20 races closest to the Arkansas Derby in what they pay, above and below it. Follow the ranking all the way up on the richest races in the world.
The rest of the money in the United States
196 races, 19th of them is this one
| Race | Racecourse | Grade | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes | Kentucky Downs | Grade I | $1,750,000$1.7m |
| Kentucky Oaks | Churchill Downs | Grade I | $1,500,000$1.5m |
| Turf Classic Stakes | Churchill Downs | Grade I | $1,500,000$1.5m |
| Apple Blossom Handicap | Oaklawn Park | Grade I | $1,250,000 |
| Blue Grass Stakes | Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky, USA | Grade I | $1,250,000 |
| Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes | Keeneland Race Course | Grade I | $1,250,000 |
| American Turf Stakes | Churchill Downs | Grade I | $1,000,000 |
| Arlington Million | Colonial Downs | Grade 1 | $1,000,000 |
Every race in the United States we hold a purse for is on the United States prize money list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the total Arkansas Derby prize money?
$1,250,000, for the 2022 running.
Where does the Arkansas Derby rank among the richest races in the world?
64th of 997. 63 races pay more, the nearest of them Australian Derby. In the United States it is 19th of 196.
Which jockey has won the Arkansas Derby most often?
Mike E. Smith, with 3 wins between 2008 and 2019.
When was the Arkansas Derby first run?
1936. This page holds 93 runnings, from 1936 to 2026.
How far is the Arkansas Derby?
miles (9 furlongs), on dirt, at Oaklawn Park Race Track,.
Where to next
The rest of the racing money