When mentioning some of the most prestigious and high stakes sports in the world, horse racing will sit somewhere close to the top. Long considered as the sport for the elite, its participation has been quite tough especially due to its entry requirements. Most times, for a jockey to succeed, they need the expertise of trainers, breeders and most times wealthy horse owners. Despite the input from these guys, the jockeys are usually the stars of the show.
So, how much does a jockey get paid? The answer to this isn’t straightforward unlike other professional sports athletes with fixed incomes. This then raises the question — do jockeys make as much money as other athletes? To answer this question, we turn to our guest post writer, Kate Richardson, to take us through the list of top richest jockeys in the world and how much they earn.
How Jockeys Make Money
Before we peek behind the curtain and check out the richest jockeys out there, let’s answer the question—how much do jockeys earn and where does the money come from?
1. Race Winnings
One of the most common ways jockeys make money is from getting a percentage of the prize money from each race. Most times the winning are split with the winner of the race getting 10% while the low placed jockeys might get about 5%. This might not seem like much to the average person, until they realize that in a race with a $2 million prize, the winner gets $200,000.
In addition to jockeys, betting enthusiasts can also make money from horse racing. How? It’s simple! You simply need to bet on your preferred horse and wait for the race. However, in order to increase your chance of winning, it’s recommended that you thoroughly analyse the horses, races, past performances and other key factors. You could also leave the heavy lifting to review sites, like MightyTips. As they provide not only the best bookmakers, but also tips on finding betting sites with the best options and bonuses. MightyTips offers compelling options in this category— pointing you in the right direction by analysing and providing bettors with the best opportunities to win big.
2. Retainer Fees & Contracts
Just like other lucrative sports, jockeys also have to sign with a team, and since horse riding doesn’t have “teams”, they get to sign contracts. These contracts are usually quite lucrative and as such ensure a steady jockey salary no matter the outcome of the race. Top jockeys also get to sign retainers which can range from thousands to millions of dollars every year.
3. Sponsorships & Endorsements
Endorsements and sponsorships are also ways too jockeys make bank, as they can sign with major brands who get to top up their earnings while they promote them. Just like Taekwondo star, Bianca Walkden said:
“I think every athlete wants to get sponsored. If you do really well in your sport, then I think sponsorship can help you get rewarded in that sense”.
The Richest and Highest-Paid Jockeys in the World
So, who is the richest jockey in the world, and also what do jockeys get paid? Let’s take a look at these top jockeys and their career earnings.
1. Yutaka Take – Over $970 Million
Sitting at number one is Yutaka Take, Japan’s most popular and one of the best jockey in the world . This Japanese rider has conquered the sport for decades and made a name that resonates throughout the sports history.
During his spell on horseback, Yutaka Take was able to amass about $970 million in race wins and thereby setting a precedent as the most successful jockey of all time. It’s no easy feat to have over 4500 career wins, and as such it’s expected that the endorsements roll in most from Japan and then all over the world. We should also mention that horse racing is a major sport in Japan, with the country hosting prestigious events like the Japan Cup and the Tenno Sho, both of which Yutaka Take has won multiple times.
2. Norihiro Yokoyama — Over $885 million
Coming in at number 2 is Norihiro Yokoyama, who is also another of Japan’s horse racing legends. For decades, Yokoyama has dominated the horse racing scene and his jockey salary amounted to over $615 million throughout his career. Now that’s not an easy feat especially since he had to have won over 2991 races.
While that might be impressive, one feat that has set his name in stone is his record of being the oldest jockey in Japan to win a Grade I race. He was able to do that at the age of 56 and it doesn’t look like he’s stopping anytime soon.
3. Yuichi Fukunaga — Over $500 million
While most successful jockeys from Japan stayed on the Asian island, Yuichi Fukuyama decided to take his expertise to the center stages of horse racing. He was able conquer the world and more particularly Dubai, Hong Kong and the US with his amazing horse riding skills. As one of the most famous jockeys in the world, Fukunaga was able to conquer the game for over 26 years.
During this time, he pulled off over 2600 victories and a reputation that was respected in Japan. Well this reputation doesn’t come empty handed as he was able to amass over $500 million in total prize money. However in 2022, Fukunaga announced that he was leaving the races and becoming a trainer, thereby ending one of the longest careers as one of the best jockey in the world of horse racing.
4. Masayoshi Ebina — Over $500 million
At the number 4 spot we have Masayoshi Ebina, another Japanese jockey who had a career worth envying. During his time at the races, Ebina was able to win over 2598 races which included the Japan Cup in 1998. Outside of Japan, Ebina was also able to show the stuff he was made of when he won the 1999 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France.
This made him one of the most famous jockey in the world as he took the world scene with surprise. So how much do jockeys make? Especially someone that got this big? Well for Masayoshi Ebina, he was able to accumulate earnings to the tune of over $500 million. After a successful career, he retired in 2021 to become a trainer and also inherited 33 horses to add to his collection.
5. John Velazquez — Over $465 Million
One of the most successful jockeys in the United States, John Velazquez has made a name that would be remembered for generations. As one of the top guys in the sport, Vasquez was able to show the world that horse riding is not only for the Japanese.
With multiple Kentucky Derbies and Breeders’ Cup wins in his bag, this jockey became a force to be reckoned with. However one thing that made him a big name was his ability to secure some of the most high profile for his races. This ensured that he easily won races and as such made a lot of money to enter our list of the richest jockey in the world. During his career, he has been able to accumulate over $465 million in earnings, and a reputation that precedes him.
Conclusion
So, how much does a jockey get paid? We’ve looked at the top earners and seen how much they’ve made over the years. However, it’s important to note that only the elite jockeys reach those figures, while the average rider often falls below the $100,000 mark.
In the end, success in the sport comes down to skill, an unrelenting will to win, and unwavering dedication. And just like football legend Pele said:
“success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing.”