The 10 Most Remunerative Horse Races Around The Globe
Horse racing is a sport that is popular in all corners of the world. It is rare to find a sport that’s equally as popular in Europe, Australia, America, and the Middle East. Yet, here we are, as horse racing fits that description. Saudi Cup, Dubai World Cup, Cheltenham Festival, Melbourne Cup, and the Kentucky Derby are all major horse racing festivities that cover almost all continents. What most casual viewers do not comprehend is that horse racing is a rather lucrative business. Because of this, the prizes at some of these races are measured in dozens of millions.
Another peculiar thing regarding horse racing is the fact that some of the oldest, traditional, and culturally important races hold the prestige despite not offering the highest purse. So, do not be surprised not to find some of the most famous horse racing events in the world on this list. In the universe of horse racing prestige does not always equals money. Also, some newer races are trying to gain that much needed prestige by offering massive rewards.
By living in a society where horse racing is seen as a sport first ideally with sports betting, it’s no wonder it has become more lucrative than ever thanks to the global expansion of online casinos and sports betting and the money being infused into horse racing through the means of betting on races. We’re sure that you, our dear reader, already have an opened account at one more popular crypto casino of your choosing. That’s fine, as after all, with all the prizes the winners of these races we’re about to list have the opportunity to take home, we bettors need to take some of the spoils home. Stay with us a bit more, as we write about the top 10 lucrative races in the world based on their 2024 purse. Let’s start with the most expensive one.
Saudi Cup
As we already said, some of the races on this list are rather new. Because of this they lack the prestige some of the centuries old traditional races have. Yet, the owners of these races have enough funds to make them a top draw in the world of horse racing by offering a high reward. One of such races is the Saudi Cup. This race had its inaugural presentation in 2020 making it rather young. Just some five years ago the prize for the winner at this tournament was set at $10 million while the entire purse was set at $20 million. Because of these numbers the Saudi Cup is the most expensive race in the world. In just half a decade of being an official race, it has already gotten some pedigree and it is an event you do not want to miss out on. It takes place at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia each February.
The Everest
While the name would suggest that this race belongs to the South Asia region it is in fact one of the biggest sports events in Australia. One of the more renowned six-furlong races had a lower purse from 2018-2022 but in 2023 the organizers decided to give the Saudi Cup run for their money and elevated the purse up to $20 million. This event is on schedule each October at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. While it holds the same purse as the Saudi Cup, the Middle east event is the most remunerative horse racing event on dirt, while Everest holds this title on turf making it each a champion in their own right as far as race expense goes.
Dubai World Cup
The Arab countries have a long history in horse racing, but have only recently started pouring money into their top events, and creating new ones. One of the biggest horse racing events in the world is without a doubt the Dubai World Cup. Not only that this race has the necessary prestige at this level but it also follows it through with the prize money involved. The entire event of the World Cup has nine races. The main event holds the biggest purse for the winner which is set at $12 million, while another $7 million is divided between the rest of the competitors. The end of each march is reserved for this magnificent horse racing event held at the Meydan Racecourse. For a large portion of the last 30 years this was the most expensive race in the world. It held this record from 1996 to 2020 when it was taken over by the Saudi Cup. Despite this shift, we all know that in terms of prestige it still has one up above the Saudi Cup due to the fact that the Dubai World Cup is a race which is officially on schedule since 1996 and will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, which could be a point in time that its purse will once again be the biggest in the world.
The Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is a one of a kind race. Yes, you could say that for any race on this list, but this one stands out. It is not only about horse racing odds, prestige, money,or winning, it is also about charity. The race reserved only for four year olds has each horse entitled to a portion of the prize money but 10% of it needs to go to a charity cause nominated by the horse owner. The winner takes home $525,000. It is another amazing event held in the land down under showcasing that the love for horse racing is rooted deep in the DNA of Australians. It is held every last Saturday in October at the Run at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney. While it is a rather exciting race on a dirt racetrack 1500 meters long it still doesn’t hold as high a standard, prestige nor heritage as Everest. Yet, it is one of the highest races out there and for a good cause.
Melbourne Cup
According to sources close to the race, the prize money set for every Melbourne Cup is close to $8 million. This figure, and this location, once again show the profound love that the people of the land down under have for horse racing. The Melbourne Cup is not just one of the more lucrative races in Australia, it is one of the top paying races in the world. Not only that, it is one of the major sports events in the country. Because of its significance it has the label of the ‘race that stops a nation.’ By all standards the Melbourne Cup is a national holiday in Australia. It is a race that motivates all participants to aim for the top place as the prize for the winner is set at $4.4 million. While Aussies are enchanted by this race, it also has a few participants from Europe further appealing to the prestige of the Melbourne Cup, while also attracting spectators from all corners of the world.
Breeders’ Cup Classic
As far as horse racing goes this is one of the most international races out there. The full purse usually stands at $33 million, while $6 million is intended for the winners of the main events. We call this race an international spectacle because it changes its venue each year. In 2024 the venue was set to be the racetrack at Del Mar, California. This event attracts horses from all over the world, and due to interchanging venues it is often frequented by Irish and English horse breeders. Without races as this one, horse racing would never have become an international spectacle. It deservedly has a spot on this list both due to the purse and also for the prestige it holds by being one of the top races without a set venue.
Dubai Sheema Classic
Once again we’re back at the Middle East venue. This race is the second most important race at the Dubai World Cup. Dubai Sheema Classic is viewed as a separate event as it has a pedigree of its own. As far as its importance goes it is ranked as a Group 1 turf event. It is scheduled for late March every year at the Meydan Racecourse. The first of many races of the Dubai Sheema Classic was held way back in 1998, and since its inception it was dominated by the Godolphin, which is the world’s largest thoroughbred horse racing and breeding operation, founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which will be looking to assert its dominance in years to come. So far, the biggest draw at this venue was Equinox, who had one of the more stellar performances back in 2023. He left the homework for all the future participants. Its legacy leaves a lot to be overcome by future champions.
Arima Kinen
While you might not see it like that, Japan has a long history and tradition in the world of horse racing. The biggest and the richest race in the land of the rising sun is called Arima Kinen. This is a race that transcends Japan and conquers the entire Asia as it is one of the biggest horse racing events in this part of the world. It is held yearly at the Nakayama Racecourse, and as far as the horse racing schedule is concerned this one has its date set for late December. The most interesting part about this race is the fact that it is dubbed as the biggest betting race on the planet. The first race at the Nakayama Racecourse was held way back in 1956 and it comes with a rather funny perk. This race has a tradition of a ‘vote’ that determines on which surface the next race is going to be held. When you add the pure value of $5.9 million the matters get all that more interesting.
Japan Cup
While not topping this list, all thanks to the growth in evaluation of horse racing by Middle East nations, Japan has a long and rich tradition of horse racing. As you can see it has two races in the top ten of most lucrative horse races in the world with the second one richest being the Japan Cup. This race is scheduled for late November, and considering that no other major race is scheduled for this period, the Japan Cup has a lot of spectators, and deservedly so. This is also a race that is held in high esteem by local horse breeders and it is often won by a local stallion, but it is not an exception to have an international winner. The reasons for international presence and a global appeal of this race is of course it’s $5.9 million purse, while not on par with the Middle east races, it still has plenty of value for international competitors.
Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe
By now you might have concluded that Europe does not have a horse for the race of the most lucrative horse races in the globe but you’d be wrong for thinking that. Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe is the most lucrative horse race from Europe but probably the most prestigious one on this list. Most of the above-mentioned races are rather young compared to the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe which was initiated way back in 1920. It is a group 1 race, where all breeds of worth from Europe participate. With a prize purse set at $5 million this race has both the century-long prestige and a purse worth monitoring by the international committee of horse racing.
From everything said above, you understand that the glory of old days, prestige, tradition, and history in horse racing do not often reflect the value in purses offered to participants. Most of the races that have been around for more than a couple of decades rely on tradition to attract viewers and participants rather than on the prize money. At the same time new races tend to go from the money until the prestige is there. Soon, both will be on the same page.