Arena eventing training with Will Murray @ REC
Saturday 07 December 2024
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Whilst the spectrum of sports on horseback is wide-reaching, there is one that stands out from the rest in terms of riches.
It’s not the Olympics, despite Team GB performing admirably in the Olympics. No, it is racing which dominates the money for horse riders. Kentucky Horse Park might host one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian events, but the name conjures up images of nothing other than racing with the Kentucky Derby.
It is one of many illustrious races that take place around the world, drawing thousands of fans and millions of viewers from around the world. The prize purses for these huge events are often staggering, with Sporting News confirming the prize pot for the 2021 Kentucky Derby hit $3m (£2.25m). The winner, Medina Spirit, took $1.8m (£1.35m) of that, with the rest divided up amongst the next four runners. The pot for the 2022 race is sure to be more, but sadly Medina Spirit won’t be back to challenge; he passed away earlier this month. Instead, the latest horse racing odds from Coral suggest Echo Zulu is the front runner. She is undefeated in four starts and won the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies in November. With that sort of record, she might even be seen in one of these three races, the most lucrative in the world.
Whenever a sporting event is connected to the Middle East, there seems to be an abundance of money, and that’s the same in horse racing. The inaugural Saudi Cup was run in 2020; it comes with an eye-watering prize purse of $20m (£15m). It is a nine-furlong race run on dirt with 14 elite horses vying for success. The winner will bag $10m (£7.5m), with the next nine-horse taking a share of the remaining prize pot.
The Everest was first run in 2017, but it has quickly overtaken the Breeder’s Cup Classic as the third-richest in the racing world. The prize money is believed to top $15m (£11.2m), and it has surpassed the famous Melbourne Cup as the premier race in Australia. There are 12 slots available in the field, costing $600,000 (£450,000) each. Once bought, the slot holder can sell or lease their place if they don’t wish to run. Those who take part will do so over 12 furlongs, with the winner taking home the sizeable sum of $6m (£4.5m). Jockey Kerrin McEvoy certainly enjoys the race; he has won it three times, twice riding legendary gelding Redzel in 2017 and 2018.
For the record, the most lucrative British horse race is the Epsom Derby, with an estimated prize pot of around £1.6m.
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