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How does the Preakness Stakes purse compare with the Kentucky Derby & Belmont?

It might not be the Kentucky Derby, but the Preakness Stakes is the middle jewel of the Triple Crown for a reason.

But with a $2 million purse up for grabs, how much of it does the Preakness Stakes-winning horse really get? Here’s the full breakdown of the prize money and how it compares to the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

2026 Preakness Stakes $2 Million Purse Breakdown

The full purse for the Preakness Stakes is $2 million. However, the prize money only goes to the top five finishers in the race. The winner of the race takes home $1.2 million, while everyone else takes less.

1. $1.2 million
2. $400,000
3. $220,000
4. $120,000
5. $60,000

Considering how long the race itself is, that doesn’t seem like a lot of money. However, when considering how much time, energy, and hard work go into each horse for their entire life leading up to this race, it makes a lot more sense.

How Much Do the Jockey, Trainer, and Owner Get of the $1.2 Million?

Of the $1.2 million prize money awarded to the winner, it is split between the owner of the horse, the trainer, and the jockey. This is how it is split:

• Owner – 80%
• Trainer – 10%
• Jockey – 10%

In this case, that 80 percent translates to $960,000 for the owner, $120,000 for the trainer, and $120,000 for the jockey.

How Does the Preakness Stakes Purse Compare to the Kentucky Derby Purse?

GettyGolden Tempo, Winner of the 2026 Kentucky Derby

As previously stated, the Preakness Stakes doesn’t have the same pazzaz as the Kentucky Derby. Sadly, that also shows up in the prize money available to the race winners.

The Kentucky Derby purse this year was $5 million. That’s more than double what it is for the Preakness.

However, similar to the Preakness, it is split amongst the top five finishers of the race:

1. $3.1 million
2. $1 million
3. $500,000
4. $250,000
5. $150,000

Finishing second in the Kentucky Derby earns almost as much as the winner of the Preakness Stakes.

How Much Did Golden Tempo’s Owner, Trainer, and Jockey Earn From the $3.1 Million?

Golden Tempo’s owners, trainer, and jockey get to share the $3.1 million prize money. Here is how it is broken down:

• Owner: 80%
• Trainer: 10%
• Jockey: 10%

That’s the same breakdown as the Preakness. However, it’s much more money because of the purse size.

The owners of Golden Tempo earned $2.48 million. Golden Tempo’s trainer and jockey received $310,000 each.

How Does the Preakness Stakes Purse Compare to the Belmont Stakes Purse?

The final race in the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes. The purse for the Belmont Stakes is the same as it is for the Preakness Stakes, $2 million. However, the prize money distribution is slightly different for Belmont.

1. $1.2 million
2. $360,000
3. $200,000
4. $100,000
5. $60,000
6. $20,000
7. $20,000
8. $20,000

As you can see, there is a meager sum available for the horses that finish 6th, 7th, and 8th. This is not something done for the Kentucky Derby or Preakness.

With that being said, the breakdown between the race-winning owner, jockey, and trainer remains the same. That means the owner will receive $960,000 while the jockey and trainer will earn $120,000 each for their participation with the winning horse.

All in all, it’s interesting to see the slight differences in prize money for the three races.