How does a racehorse make money?
Horses earn the following amount of the purse assigned to each race based on their order of finish. The first place horse gets 50% of the purse; second – 25%; third – 12%; fourth 8% and fifth – 5%. So, as an example, a horse entered in a race with a $15,000 purse would earn $7,500 (50%) if it wins. A successful overnight horse can make anywhere from $20,000 to $75,000 or more in a year. A good stakes horse can make six figures if it does well, although it is very competitive.
