Horse racing is a sport that has always been associated with money. Ever since the beginnings of modern-day horse racing, the sport has been reserved for wealthy and influential people, and kind of maintained that status over the years.
Additionally, horse racing is a sport where participants (owners, trainers, jockeys) get paid a lot of money after a successful race. Prize pools for popular horse racing events go north from $1 million, which are distributed to all people who are responsible for the success.
So, does this mean that jockeys are rich?
Well, even though horse racing is a sport where jockeys can earn a lot of money, the majority of them don’t achieve that much success. But we are interested in the ones that do. Those athletes manage to earn millions throughout their professional careers.
Let’s find out who warns the most.
How Much Jockey’s Earn?
The prize for finishing 1st place in a race can be a couple of million, but the amount doesn’t go to the jockey.
The jockey, who rides the horse the entire distance, receives far less attention. 10% of the horse’s Kentucky Derby earnings are awarded to the winning rider; hence, Sonny Leon, the 2022 Derby winner, would get $186,000.
Leon probably gave his agent a 25% to 30% cut of his profits and left a 5% gratuity for the valet who helped him get ready for the race. In a sport where salaries might average $50,000 per year, that’s still a large payoff.
The main income for jockeys comes from prize money, which they receive if they can ride a horse to first, second, or third place in a race and split the payout.
In a Thoroughbred race, a jockey’s share of the money goes from 5% for a second- or third-place finish to 10% for first. The jockey’s earnings in less contested races can be as low as 0.50% for finishing in third place, 1% for finishing in second place, and possibly 6%–10% for winning. Don’t worry, you don’t need a TwinSpires horse betting calculator to calculate who is the highest paid jockey. We have done that work for you!
Highest Paid Jockeys of All Time
Yutaka Take – $925M
In terms of financial gain, Japanese racing is undoubtedly the best in the world. Yutaka Take is unquestionably the best person to focus on if you want to compare the pay of horse racing to any other sport.
During his long career, Yutaka Take has earned about $925 million in total. Take has won more than 4,400 races in his career as a horse racing rider!
Nobody gets even close to this number.
Take may not be a household name abroad, but in his home country of Japan, the actor is revered as a living legend and has set several all-time records.
Additionally, he only has 100 victories outside of Japan; the remainder are in Japan. Furthermore, Take pursued a career in jockeying, following in the footsteps of his famous father Kunihiko.
Norihiro Yokoyama – $561M
Though Yokoyama’s career victory total of almost 3,000 is impressive, it is not that incredible compared to Take. Yokoyama has achieved success by consistently riding wins during the peak of Japanese racing when the nation’s prize money much outpaced that of any other market.
Yokoyama is a multiple champion who has achieved numerous noteworthy accomplishments during his career, yet he is still eclipsed by the person occupying the top spot on our list.
Yuichi Fukunaga $500M
Yuichi Fukunaga has moved up to third position, surpassing Masayoshi Ebina in the process. The Japanese jockey has amassed over $500 million in earnings during an outstanding 2022.
As of this writing, Fukunaga has won 2,541 races for a total of $561 million, and he is nearing the end of his illustrious career. He will go to the paddock in 2024 after receiving his trainer license in 2022. Will the trainer’s winning streak continue?
John R. Velazquez $470M
The Puerto Rican rider, who has amassed well over $470 million in career prize money from his 6,559 winners—is by far the highest-earning non-Japanese rider on this in the world.
Before coming to the United States, Valazquez began his career in his home Puerto Rico, making him a genuine icon in the sport. His most noteworthy victories include no fewer than six Triple Crown races and twenty Breeder’s Cup races.
He has been inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame and was twice recognized as the US Champion Jockey by earnings.
Yoshitomi Shibata – $416m
Since 1985, when he raced his first winner, Shibata has had over 2,323 career victories. In his own country of Japan, this three-time Kanto champion jockey has won several prestigious races, such as the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup, the Japan Dirt Derby, and the Tenno Sho twice.
Fun Fact: Shibata managed to set the Japanese record with a 132/1 longshot.
It seems like being a jockey has its perks. So, if you have a talent for riding horses, it is never too late to make a career change and possibly earn some big money.
