If you’ve ever watched a horse race, you’ve probably seen those tiny athletes in neon silks flying around the track at 40 miles per hour. It looks glamorous, right? The trophies, the roses, the champagne. But for the vast majority of people in the saddle, the math is a lot tighter than the TV broadcast makes it seem. Honestly, most folks think jockeys are millionaires. A few are. Most aren't.
So, how much do jockeys make per race? The short answer is: not nearly as much as you'd think, unless they're winning.
The Mounting Fee: Your Guaranteed Pay
Every time a jockey climbs onto a horse, they get paid a "mount fee." This is the base salary for the race. It doesn’t matter if they finish dead last or the horse trips at the gate—they get this fee.
In 2026, the standard mount fee at most major American tracks like Santa Anita or Belmont Park is usually around $100 to $125. At smaller tracks or in certain states, it can be lower. For instance, in Louisiana, recent rule updates put some losing mount fees as low as $75 to $90 depending on the purse size.
Think about that for a second.
A jockey might risk their life in a two-minute sprint for a hundred bucks. If they ride eight races in a day and don't finish in the top three, they might walk away with $800 before expenses. But here's the kicker: they have to pay people out of that.
Winning Big: The Percentages
The real money is in the "purse." This is the total prize money for the race. If a jockey finishes in the top three (and sometimes top five), they stop getting that flat $100 fee and start getting a percentage of the horse's earnings.
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- First Place: Usually 10% of the winner's share of the purse.
- Second Place: Usually 5% of the second-place share.
- Third Place: Usually 5% of the third-place share.
Let’s look at a real-world example from 2025/2026. The Kentucky Derby currently has a $5 million purse. The winner takes home about $3.1 million. The jockey? They get 10% of that, which is **$310,000**. That’s a massive payday for two minutes of work.
But compare that to a "claiming race" at a local track with a $15,000 purse. The winner's share might be $9,000. The jockey gets $900. Still better than the mount fee, but it's not exactly "retire on a private island" money.
The Hidden Costs: Who Else Gets Paid?
You've gotta remember that a jockey is basically a freelance contractor. They have "employees" of their own. When a jockey earns that $310,000 Derby check, they don't just put it in their pocket and go buy a Ferrari.
- The Agent: Jockeys don't pick their own horses; agents do. The agent usually takes 25% of the jockey's earnings.
- The Valet: Not the kind that parks cars. A racetrack valet prepares the jockey's gear, cleans the boots, and makes sure the right silks are ready. They usually get 5% to 10% of the earnings.
- Insurance and Fees: There are often "jockey guild" fees and mandatory workers' comp deductions. In California, for example, workers' comp rates for owners and trainers are seeing a 10% hike in 2026, which trickles down into how much is available for the riders.
By the time everyone is paid, a winning jockey might only keep about 60% to 70% of their gross earnings before the taxman even shows up.
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International Variations: UK and Australia
It’s a different game across the pond. In the UK, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) just approved a pay rise for 2026. A Flat jockey now makes about £173.54 (roughly $220) per ride. Jump jockeys, who take way more physical punishment, get £235.90 (around $300).
Australia is often seen as the promised land for jockeys because their base fees are quite high, and the prize money in places like New South Wales is staggering. Even so, the 10% winning rule is pretty much the global gold standard.
The Wealth Gap in the Irons
The "average" jockey salary in the U.S. for 2026 hovers around $45,000 to $68,000 a year.
That’s a wild statistic when you realize that Flavien Prat or Irad Ortiz Jr. can earn over $20 million in total horse earnings in a single season. If they're taking 10% of the winners and 5% of the rest, those top guys are easily clearing $1 million to $2 million a year after expenses.
But for every Irad Ortiz, there are a hundred guys at tracks in West Virginia or New Mexico struggling to break $30,000. They’re driving six hours between tracks, starving themselves to make weight (often staying under 115 lbs), and praying they don't get injured. If a jockey gets hurt and can't ride, the income stops instantly. There is no "injured reserve" salary in horse racing.
Surprising Facts About the Money
- Non-Runners: If a jockey shows up but the horse is scratched (withdrawn), they still get a "scratch fee." In the UK, this is about half the normal riding fee.
- The Weight Penalty: If a jockey can't "make weight" and the horse has to carry extra, they might be replaced and lose the fee entirely.
- Sponsorships: Only the top 1% of jockeys get brand deals (like Monster Energy or local car dealerships). For everyone else, the silks they wear belong to the horse owner, not them.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Riders
If you're looking at horse racing from a career or betting perspective, keep these three things in mind:
- Follow the "Live" Money: Jockeys often follow "live" barns (trainers who are winning). If you see a top-tier jockey fly across the country for one specific race at a small track, they aren't doing it for the $100 mount fee. They know that horse has a massive chance to win the purse.
- Calculate the Net: When you see a jockey's "yearly earnings" on sites like Equibase, remember that is the horse's earnings. Divide by ten, then subtract 30% for the agent and valet to find the jockey's actual take-home.
- Check the Circuit: Earnings are highly regional. A jockey in the New York (NYRA) circuit will make three times as much as a jockey in the Midwest simply because the purses are subsidized by casino revenue.
Understanding how much do jockeys make per race reveals a sport of extreme highs and lows. It's a grind that requires more than just talent; it requires a business mindset and a very high pain threshold.
To get a true sense of a jockey's value, look up the current "Leading Jockeys" list on Equibase and check their "Win Percentage"—that's the number that actually determines whether they're eating steak or ramen at the end of the month.