Kentucky Derby 2026 purse, payout: How much money winner Golden Tempo takes home?

Yahoo Sports3h ago31 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Golden Tempo won the 152nd Kentucky Derby, taking home a $3.1 million purse. The total prize pool for this year's Derby is $5 million, with payouts for the top five finishers.

Key points

Golden Tempo won the 152nd Kentucky Derby
Winner receives a $3.1 million purse
Total purse for 2026 is $5 million
Runner-up earns $1 million
Purse increased from $3 million in 2023

Golden TempoKentucky Derby 2026

Beyond the coveted honor of being crowned the winner of the 152nd Kentucky Derby, this year’s champion, Golden Tempo, will also receive a staggering $3.1 million purse, one of the biggest prizes in all of horse racing.

For the third consecutive year, the total Kentucky Derby purse stands at $5 million, with the winner claiming the largest share with a $3.1 million payout. The runner-up secures a $1 million purse, while the third-place finisher is guaranteed $500,000. Fourth place earns $250,000, and fifth place receives $150,000. This impressive prize structure ensures that even the top finishers who didn't win the garland of roses are handsomely rewarded for their efforts on racing’s grandest stage.

This year’s purse represents a significant increase since 2023, when the total prize pool was $3 million and the first-place finisher received $1.86 million.

Hats off to the fashionistas of the Kentucky Derby.

As part of the tradition of the annual horse race, several attendees sport elaborate headpieces to complement their derby attire.

Scroll through for photos of the best hats from the 152nd Kentucky Derby, starting with attendee Ashlyn Roberts, who donned a chic crimson hat during Thurby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 30, 2026.