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

The Kentucky Derby purse will again be $5 million and offers one of the biggest potential paydays for jockeys in the field

Robby Kalland

May 1, 2026

11:48 am ET

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2 min read

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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.

2026 Kentucky Derby jockeys

The 21 jockeys hoping to ride their horse to the winner's circle and that six-figure payday are:

- Irad Ortiz Jr. (Renegade; 4-1)

- Manny Franco (Albus; 30-1)

- Hector I. Barrios (Intrepido; 50-1)

- Martin Garcia (Litmus Test; 50-1)

- Luis Saez (Commandment; 6-1)

- Atsuya Nishimura (Danon Bourbon; 20-1)

- Mike Smith (So Happy; 15-1)

- Javier Castellano (The Puma; 10-1)

- Ryusei Sakai (Wonder Dean; 30-1)

- Jaime Torres (Incredibolt; 20-1)

- Junior Alvarado (Chief Wallabee; 8-1)

- Juan Hernandez (Potente; 20-1)

- Flavien Prat (Emerging Market; 15-1)

- Edwin Maldonado (Pavlovian; 30-1)

- Brian Hernandez Jr. (Six Speed; 50-1)

- John Velazquez (Further Ado; 6-1)

- Jose Ortiz (Golden Tempo; 30-1)

- Alex Achard (Great White; 50-1)

- Joseph Ramos (Ocelli; 50-1)

- Emisael Jaramillo (Robusta; 50-1)

- Brian Hernandez Jr. (Corona de Oro; 50-1)

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