How Do Purse Winnings Work?

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Each race has a stated purse for the total amount to be paid to the owners and in general the purse is allocated to the first 5 finishers in a race as follows: 60% 20% 12% 6% 2%.  Purses can vary widely based on the quality of the competition and recently at Del Mar were as low as $20000 and as high as $1,000,000.  On average purses approximate $30,000 at the better tracks so you see a winning share can be substantial.  Here is how your horse winnings would be allocated using a $30,000 example:

 

• $16,000 Gross purse

• (1,600) Trainer incentive (ten percent of what the owners receive in purse money)

• (1,600) Jockey incentive (ten percent for a win, 5% for 2nd or 3rd and about $100 for lower)

• (800) Masino Racing incentive (five percent of what the owners receive in purse money)

• $12,000 Net to owners allocated based on their ownership percentage

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