SALARYSPORT
★ 0
HORSE RACING · 197 RACES

Horse racing prize money per second in the United States

The 197 races we hold in the United States pay £92.2m across 5 hours 28 minutes of running. the Breeders' Cup Classic pays the most for its time, at £43,142 a second.

The median race here pays £10,322,914 an hour of running, above the £4,482,396 median across all 611 races we rank, which puts the United States 5th of 14 countries. 51 of its races sit in the world's hundred best paid seconds, 20 of them in the top fifty.

MEDIAN PER HOUR £10.3m
BEST PAID SECOND £43,142
RACES 197
COUNTRY RANK 5 of 14

The best paid seconds in the United States

Prize money per hour of running

Breeders' Cup Classic £155m Kentucky Derby £109m Breeders' Cup Turf £92m Breeders' Cup Sprint £78m Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes £74m Nashville Derby £73m Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes £61m Breeders' Cup Mile £57m Breeders' Cup Juvenile £52m Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies £51m Stephen Foster Stakes £49m Breeders' Cup Distaff £49m Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint £48m Preakness Stakes £45m Belmont Stakes £43m

Every race in the United States, ranked per second

197 races, with each one's place in the world order

Lamplighter Stakes is last here at £432 a second

# Race Time Purse Per second World
1 Breeders' Cup Classic $7,000,000 2:00.192025 £5,185,185 £43,142 4
2 Kentucky Derby $5,000,000 2:02.272026 £3,703,704 £30,291 11
3 Breeders' Cup Turf $5,000,000 2:25.452025 £3,703,704 £25,464 16
4 Breeders' Cup Sprint $2,000,000 1:08.202025 £1,481,481 £21,723 18
5 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes $3,000,000 1:48.492026 £2,222,222 £20,483 20
6 Nashville Derby $3,500,000 2:08.492026 £2,592,593 £20,177 21
7 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes $1,750,000 1:16.012026 £1,296,296 £17,054 24
8 Breeders' Cup Mile $2,000,000 1:33.662025 £1,481,481 £15,818 28
9 Breeders' Cup Juvenile $2,000,000 1:42.252025 £1,481,481 £14,489 31
10 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies $2,000,000 1:43.712025 £1,481,481 £14,285 33
11 Stephen Foster Stakes $2,000,000 1:48.032026 £1,481,481 £13,714 35
12 Breeders' Cup Distaff $2,000,000 1:48.072025 £1,481,481 £13,709 36
13 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint $1,000,000 55.24s2025 £740,741 £13,409 37
14 Preakness Stakes $2,000,000 1:58.692026 £1,481,481 £12,482 38
15 Belmont Stakes $2,000,000 2:03.492026 £1,481,481 £11,997 40
16 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint $1,000,000 1:02.412022 £740,741 £11,869 41
17 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf $2,000,000 2:12.542025 £1,481,481 £11,178 43
18 Turf Classic Stakes $1,500,000 1:45.962026 £1,111,111 £10,486 45
19 Kentucky Oaks $1,500,000 1:48.822026 £1,111,111 £10,211 46
20 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes $1,250,000 1:33.612025 £925,926 £9,891 49
21 Churchill Downs Stakes $1,000,000 1:20.492026 £740,741 £9,203 51
22 Derby City Distaff Stakes $1,000,000 1:20.942026 £740,741 £9,152 53
23 Apple Blossom Handicap $1,250,000 1:42.212026 £925,926 £9,059 54
24 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint $1,000,000 1:21.792025 £740,741 £9,057 55
25 Blue Grass Stakes $1,250,000 1:49.582026 £925,926 £8,450 57
26 Arkansas Derby $1,250,000 1:49.702026 £925,926 £8,441 58
27 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile $1,000,000 1:34.712025 £740,741 £7,821 61
28 Metropolitan Handicap $1,000,000 1:34.852026 £740,741 £7,810 62
29 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf $1,000,000 1:34.932025 £740,741 £7,803 63
30 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf $1,000,000 1:35.072025 £740,741 £7,792 64
31 American Turf Stakes $1,000,000 1:40.312026 £740,741 £7,385 68
32 La Troienne Stakes $1,000,000 1:42.242026 £740,741 £7,245 69
33 Cotillion Handicap $1,000,000 1:42.852025 £740,741 £7,202 70
34 Rebel Stakes $1,000,000 1:43.212026 £740,741 £7,177 71
35 Southwest Stakes $1,000,000 1:44.852026 £740,741 £7,065 72
36 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational $1,000,000 1:47.042026 £740,741 £6,920 74
37 Whitney Stakes $1,000,000 1:47.912026 £740,741 £6,864 76
38 Pennsylvania Derby $1,000,000 1:48.032025 £740,741 £6,857 77
39 Florida Derby $1,000,000 1:49.992026 £740,741 £6,735 78
40 Haskell Stakes $1,000,000 1:50.182026 £740,741 £6,723 80
41 Manhattan Stakes $1,000,000 1:50.502026 £740,741 £6,704 81
42 Louisiana Derby $1,000,000 1:55.182026 £740,741 £6,431 83
43 First Lady Stakes $800,000 1:34.762025 £592,593 £6,254 86
44 Jaipur Stakes $500,000 1:00.022026 £370,370 £6,171 88
45 Arlington Million $1,000,000 2:00.802026 £740,741 £6,132 89
46 Jockey Club Gold Cup $1,000,000 2:02.162025 £740,741 £6,064 91
47 Pacific Classic Stakes $1,000,000 2:02.282026 £740,741 £6,058 92
48 Pat Day Mile Stakes $750,000 1:33.872026 £555,556 £5,918 93
49 Madison Stakes $650,000 1:21.842026 £481,481 £5,883 94
50 Fourstardave Stakes $750,000 1:35.072026 £555,556 £5,844 95
51 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes $800,000 1:48.012025 £592,593 £5,486 99
52 Jeff Ruby Steaks $777,000 1:49.942026 £575,556 £5,235 101
53 Belmont Derby $750,000 1:47.552026 £555,556 £5,166 103
54 Wood Memorial Stakes $750,000 1:51.712026 £555,556 £4,973 106
55 New York Stakes $750,000 1:52.502026 £555,556 £4,938 107
56 Saratoga Derby Stakes $750,000 1:53.222026 £555,556 £4,907 108
57 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes $600,000 1:34.902026 £444,444 £4,683 113
58 Bryan Station Stakes $600,000 1:35.782025 £444,444 £4,640 114
59 Breeders' Futurity Stakes $650,000 1:43.982025 £481,481 £4,631 115
60 Woody Stephens Stakes $500,000 1:20.402026 £370,370 £4,607 116
61 Alcibiades Stakes $650,000 1:44.692025 £481,481 £4,599 117
62 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes $500,000 1:20.712026 £370,370 £4,589 118
63 Ballerina Handicap $500,000 1:22.052026 £370,370 £4,514 121
64 Test Stakes $500,000 1:22.422026 £370,370 £4,494 122
65 Forego Stakes $500,000 1:22.482026 £370,370 £4,490 123
66 Spinster Stakes $650,000 1:49.772025 £481,481 £4,386 126
67 Gallant Bob Stakes $400,000 1:08.772025 £296,296 £4,309 128
68 Bing Crosby Stakes $400,000 1:09.332026 £296,296 £4,274 129
69 Transylvania Stakes $600,000 1:44.492026 £444,444 £4,253 130
70 Belmont Oaks $600,000 1:47.772026 £444,444 £4,124 134
71 Just a Game Stakes $500,000 1:32.842026 £370,370 £3,989 139
72 Champagne Stakes $500,000 1:34.572025 £370,370 £3,916 141
73 Beholder Mile Stakes $500,000 1:35.162026 £370,370 £3,892 142
74 Jenny Wiley Stakes $500,000 1:40.982026 £370,370 £3,668 145
75 Christophe Clement Turf Stakes $750,000 2:31.552026 £555,556 £3,666 146
76 Secretariat Stakes $500,000 1:41.242026 £370,370 £3,658 147
77 Sunland Park Derby $500,000 1:42.222026 £370,370 £3,623 149
78 Alabama Stakes $600,000 2:04.872026 £444,444 £3,559 152
79 Lafayette Stakes $400,000 1:23.922025 £296,296 £3,531 153
80 Ashland Stakes $500,000 1:45.722026 £370,370 £3,503 154
81 Ogden Phipps Stakes $500,000 1:46.642026 £370,370 £3,473 155
82 Virginia Derby $500,000 1:47.762026 £370,370 £3,437 159
83 Acorn Stakes $500,000 1:48.852026 £370,370 £3,403 161
84 Coaching Club American Oaks $500,000 1:48.982026 £370,370 £3,399 162
85 Santa Anita Derby $500,000 1:49.012026 £370,370 £3,398 163
86 Jim Dandy Stakes $500,000 1:49.082026 £370,370 £3,395 164
87 Risen Star Stakes $500,000 1:49.142026 £370,370 £3,394 165
88 Personal Ensign Stakes $500,000 1:49.232026 £370,370 £3,391 166
89 Ohio Derby $500,000 1:51.182026 £370,370 £3,331 168
90 Diana Stakes $500,000 1:51.422026 £370,370 £3,324 169
91 Old Dominion Derby $500,000 1:53.012025 £370,370 £3,277 173
92 Penn Mile Stakes $400,000 1:34.172026 £296,296 £3,146 177
93 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes $400,000 1:34.672026 £296,296 £3,130 178
94 Perryville Stakes $350,000 1:23.452025 £259,259 £3,107 179
95 Frizette Stakes $400,000 1:37.972025 £296,296 £3,024 181
96 Matt Winn Stakes $400,000 1:41.262026 £296,296 £2,926 183
97 San Felipe Stakes $400,000 1:42.922026 £296,296 £2,879 186
98 Tampa Bay Derby $400,000 1:43.232026 £296,296 £2,870 187
99 Fountain of Youth Stakes $400,000 1:43.332026 £296,296 £2,867 188
100 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes $400,000 1:44.102026 £296,296 £2,846 190
101 Lexington Stakes (Keeneland) $400,000 1:44.512026 £296,296 £2,835 191
102 Gamely Stakes $400,000 1:47.512026 £296,296 £2,756 193
103 Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes $500,000 2:14.452025 £370,370 £2,755 195
104 Malibu Stakes $300,000 1:20.972025 £222,222 £2,745 196
105 La Brea Stakes $300,000 1:21.682025 £222,222 £2,721 197
106 Oklahoma Derby $400,000 1:49.992025 £296,296 £2,694 198
107 Del Mar Futurity $300,000 1:22.572026 £222,222 £2,691 199
108 Spinaway Stakes $300,000 1:22.722026 £222,222 £2,686 200
109 Hollywood Derby $400,000 1:50.742025 £296,296 £2,676 201
110 Del Mar Debutante Stakes $300,000 1:23.542026 £222,222 £2,660 202
111 Hopeful Stakes $300,000 1:24.082026 £222,222 £2,643 203
112 West Virginia Derby $400,000 1:52.472026 £296,296 £2,634 204
113 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes $500,000 2:25.722025 £370,370 £2,542 209
114 Shoemaker Mile Stakes $300,000 1:32.522026 £222,222 £2,402 211
115 Matriarch Stakes $300,000 1:35.602025 £222,222 £2,325 212
116 Maxfield Stakes $250,000 1:21.432026 £185,185 £2,274 214
117 Gotham Stakes $300,000 1:37.942026 £222,222 £2,269 215
118 Pennine Ridge Stakes $300,000 1:40.942026 £222,222 £2,202 219
119 Indiana Derby $300,000 1:41.362026 £222,222 £2,192 220
120 American Pharoah Stakes $300,000 1:43.672025 £222,222 £2,144 223
121 Quick Call Stakes $175,000 1:02.692026 £129,630 £2,068 226
122 Del Mar Oaks $300,000 1:48.062026 £222,222 £2,056 228
123 Goodwood Stakes $300,000 1:48.432025 £222,222 £2,049 229
124 Holy Bull Stakes $275,000 1:44.522026 £203,704 £1,949 231
125 American Oaks $300,000 2:01.022025 £222,222 £1,836 241
126 San Vicente Stakes $200,000 1:21.122026 £148,148 £1,826 243
127 Iowa Derby $250,000 1:43.172026 £185,185 £1,795 246
128 Sam F. Davis Stakes $250,000 1:43.542026 £185,185 £1,789 247
129 Santa Anita Handicap $300,000 2:05.172026 £222,222 £1,775 249
130 Lecomte Stakes $250,000 1:44.982026 £185,185 £1,764 251
131 Smarty Jones Stakes (Oaklawn Park) $250,000 1:45.062026 £185,185 £1,763 252
132 Del Mar Derby $250,000 1:47.662026 £185,185 £1,720 254
133 Illinois Derby $250,000 1:50.432024 £185,185 £1,677 259
134 Kent Stakes $250,000 1:50.732025 £185,185 £1,672 260
135 Super Derby $250,000 1:50.782025 £185,185 £1,672 261
136 Withers Stakes $250,000 1:51.682026 £185,185 £1,658 264
137 Albany Stakes $250,000 1:51.782025 £185,185 £1,657 266
138 Calder Derby $250,000 1:54.322014 £185,185 £1,620 272
139 Chick Lang Stakes $150,000 1:09.772026 £111,111 £1,593 274
140 Commonwealth Turf Cup $200,000 1:33.432016 £148,148 £1,586 275
141 Dwyer Stakes $200,000 1:33.862025 £148,148 £1,578 276
142 Colonel Liam Stakes $200,000 1:35.052023 £148,148 £1,559 277
143 Mathis Mile Stakes $200,000 1:35.132025 £148,148 £1,557 278
144 Swale Stakes $175,000 1:23.462026 £129,630 £1,553 279
145 Robert B. Lewis Stakes $200,000 1:37.022026 £148,148 £1,527 281
146 American 1000 Guineas Stakes $200,000 1:39.242010 £148,148 £1,493 283
147 Smarty Jones Stakes (Parx) $200,000 1:42.502025 £148,148 £1,445 286
148 Lone Star Derby $200,000 1:42.552011 £148,148 £1,445 287
149 Twilight Derby $200,000 1:47.662025 £148,148 £1,376 290
150 Hill Prince Stakes $200,000 1:48.232025 £148,148 £1,369 291
151 Ellis Park Derby $200,000 1:48.892021 £148,148 £1,361 292
152 Sunshine Millions Classic $200,000 1:50.122018 £148,148 £1,345 295
153 Carry Back Stakes $150,000 1:22.632017 £111,111 £1,345 296
154 Peter Pan Stakes $200,000 1:50.252026 £148,148 £1,344 297
155 Bay Shore Stakes $150,000 1:23.002026 £111,111 £1,339 298
156 Kitten's Joy Stakes $175,000 1:40.232026 £129,630 £1,293 302
157 California Cup Derby $175,000 1:46.122025 £129,630 £1,222 308
158 Discovery Stakes $150,000 1:33.452025 £111,111 £1,189 314
159 San Rafael Stakes $150,000 1:36.452010 £111,111 £1,152 317
160 Mike Lee Stakes $125,000 1:21.602026 £92,593 £1,135 318
161 Jerome Stakes $150,000 1:38.962026 £111,111 £1,123 319
162 Saranac Stakes $150,000 1:40.452026 £111,111 £1,106 322
163 La Jolla Handicap $150,000 1:40.982024 £111,111 £1,100 324
164 Pegasus Stakes $150,000 1:44.642025 £111,111 £1,062 328
165 Kentucky Cup Sprint Stakes $100,000 1:10.282011 £74,074 £1,054 330
166 New York Derby $150,000 1:46.672026 £111,111 £1,042 333
167 Fred "Cappy" Capossela Stakes $100,000 1:11.782015 £74,074 £1,032 336
168 Baldwin Stakes $100,000 1:11.862009 £74,074 £1,031 337
169 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes $100,000 1:12.322025 £74,074 £1,024 338
170 Hawthorne Derby $150,000 1:48.712025 £111,111 £1,022 339
171 Lazaro Barrera Stakes $100,000 1:16.282021 £74,074 £971 345
172 Rumson Stakes $75,000 57.98s2025 £55,556 £958 348
173 Northern Dancer Stakes $125,000 1:43.602010 £92,593 £894 363
174 Tom Ridge Stakes $80,000 1:08.852024 £59,259 £861 373
175 Federico Tesio Stakes $125,000 1:52.922026 £92,593 £820 387
176 Jersey Derby $100,000 1:34.762024 £74,074 £782 394
177 Hutcheson Stakes $75,000 1:11.442020 £55,556 £778 395
178 James W. Murphy Stakes $100,000 1:35.822026 £74,074 £773 396
179 Sham Stakes $100,000 1:35.872023 £74,074 £773 397
180 Harry Henson Stakes $70,000 1:08.162009 £51,852 £761 399
181 San Miguel Stakes $70,000 1:09.542009 £51,852 £746 400
182 Will Rogers Stakes $100,000 1:40.432010 £74,074 £738 406
183 Affirmed Stakes (LATC) $100,000 1:42.572024 £74,074 £722 414
184 Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park $100,000 1:43.662013 £74,074 £715 416
185 American Derby $100,000 1:44.292025 £74,074 £710 417
186 Sir Barton Stakes $100,000 1:44.772026 £74,074 £707 418
187 Arlington Classic $100,000 1:45.522018 £74,074 £702 419
188 Select Stakes $60,000 1:04.182024 £44,444 £692 426
189 Los Alamitos Derby $100,000 1:47.592025 £74,074 £688 429
190 Lexington Stakes (NYRA) $100,000 1:48.452007 £74,074 £683 430
191 Round Table Stakes $100,000 1:49.752007 £74,074 £675 436
192 Forerunner Stakes $100,000 1:50.162007 £74,074 £672 437
193 Jefferson Cup Stakes $100,000 1:50.232016 £74,074 £672 438
194 El Camino Real Derby $100,000 1:50.682024 £74,074 £669 442
195 Cinema Stakes $100,000 2:01.272023 £74,074 £611 460
196 Count Fleet Stakes $65,000 1:42.832012 £48,148 £468 512
197 Lamplighter Stakes $60,000 1:42.802017 £44,444 £432 531

the United States against the other 13

Median prize money per hour of running

# Country Races Median per hour
1 Australia 11 £58,411,215£58.4m
2 Hong Kong 15 £55,272,727£55.3m
3 Saudi Arabia 5 £18,175,311£18.2m
4 Singapore 3 £17,376,837£17.4m
5 the United States 197 £10,322,914£10.3m
6 Japan 24 £7,907,679£7.9m
7 New Zealand 37 £6,278,639£6.3m
8 Great Britain 42 £3,449,707£3.4m
9 Italy 32 £3,192,772£3.2m
10 France 127 £2,878,866£2.9m
11 the United Arab Emirates 31 £2,622,995£2.6m
12 Canada 24 £2,621,159£2.6m
13 Germany 50 £1,611,867£1.6m
14 Ireland 10 £1,331,071£1.3m

Frequently asked questions

Which race in the United States pays the most per second?

the Breeders' Cup Classic, at £43,142 a second. Its £5,185,185 purse was run in 2:00.19 in 2025, and it is 4th of the 611 races we rank worldwide.

How does the United States compare with the rest of the world?

The median race in the United States pays £10,322,914 an hour of running, above the £4,482,396 median across all 611 races. That makes it 5th of the 14 countries with a page here.

How long do the races in the United States take to hand over their prize money?

The 197 races here pay out £92,208,889 across 5 hours 28 minutes of running, an average of £4,684 a second.

Where to next

The rest of the racing money

Per second, by country

Elsewhere in racing