2026 Belmont Stakes purse: How much the winning jockey earns | TwinSpires

Exactly how much prize money will the winner of the 2026 Belmont take home? Let’s find out.

How the 2026 Belmont Stakes purse is distributed

The purse of the Belmont is divided among the top eight finishers, with by far the largest share going to the winner. Here are the amounts the top eight horses will earn:

1st place: $1.2 million
2nd place: $360,000
3rd place: $200,000
4th place: $100,000
5th place: $60,000
6th place: $40,000
7th place: $20,000
8th place: $20,000

How much prize money will the winning jockey in the 2026 Belmont Stakes earn?

The winner’s share of the purse is divided among the winning owner(s), trainer, and jockey. Typically, the owner(s) receive 80%, leaving 10% apiece for the trainer and jockey. This means that in 2026, the jockey of the winning Belmont horse will earn $120,000 (10% of $1.2 million). In addition, the jockey will receive a trophy.

However, the jockey won’t keep the full $120,000. Typically, the jockey’s agent receives 25% ($30,000), while the valet who prepped the jockey’s riding gear earns 5% ($6,000). This lowers the jockey’s winnings to $84,000 before taxes.

The history of the Belmont Stakes purse

The Belmont Stakes was contested for the first time in 1867. A filly named Ruthless narrowly prevailed in a three-horse battle to the finish line, earning $1,850 for her effort. That’s about 0.15% of the 2026 winning purse value. If Ruthless’ jockey Gilbert Watson received 10% of the purse, his share would have been $185.

Unsurprisingly given its importance on the U.S. racing calendar, the Belmont’s purse has risen sharply in the ensuing century and a half. It reached $1 million for the first time in 1998, rose to $1.5 million in 2014, and settled at its current $2 million in 2024.