How Much Would They Earn Now?

Curlin
Photo: Terri Cage

In 2008, we saw the spectacular Curlin become the richest North American racehorse of all time, retiring with earnings of $10,501,800. When he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) as a four-year-old, he surpassed Cigar, who earned $9,999,815. Many will argue that Skip Away was the richest North American horse of all-time, as he did not travel to Dubai like Curlin and Cigar did and earn money outside of North American.

Though the three previously mentioned horses are some of the greatest racehorses of all-time, many of the other greatest racehorses of all-time – such as Man o’ War, Native Dancer, and Secretariat – did not earn near as much as Curlin, Cigar, or Skip Away. Why? The answer is simple: on average, purses were much smaller when many of the greats ran.

Had the purses for the races the following fifteen horses ran in been the same as they were in 2011 or the last time those specific races were run, this is approximately what they would have earned:

Curlin:
Race Record: 16 Starts – 11 Firsts – 2 Seconds – 2 Thirds
Notable Wins: Preakness Stakes (GI)
                          Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (GI) – twice
                          Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI)
                          Dubai World Cup (GI)
                          Stephen Foster Handicap (GI)
                          Woodward Stakes (GI)
Real Earnings: $10,501,800 (without Dubai earnings: $6,796,800)
Approximate “Now” Earnings: $12,804,927 (without Dubai World Cup: $6,699,927)

Skip Away:
Race Record: 38 Starts – 18 Firsts – 10 Seconds – 6 Thirds
Notable Wins: Haskell Invitational Handicap (GI)
                          Woodbine Million Stakes (GI)
                          Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) – twice
                          Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI)
                          Donn Handicap (GI)
                          Gulfstream Park Handicap (GI)
                          Pimlico Special Handicap (GI)
                          Hollywood Gold Cup (GI)
                          Woodward Stakes (GI)
Real Earnings: $9,616,360
Approximate “Now” Earnings: $8,803,903
*Many of the races in which Skip Away ran in have since been lowered in purse amounts, been downgraded, or were not run at all. He is the only one on this list whose earnings would be lower now.

Cigar:
Race Record: 33 Starts – 19 Firsts – 4 Seconds – 5 Thirds
Notable Wins: NYRA Mile Handicap (GI)
                          Donn Handicap (GI) – twice
                          Gulfstream Park Handicap (GI)
                          Oaklawn Handicap (GI)
                          Pimlico Special Handiap (GI)
                          Hollywood Gold Cup (GI)
                          Woodward Stakes (GI) – twice
                          Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI)
                          Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI)
                           Dubai World Cup (GI)
Real Earnings: $9,999,815 (without Dubai earnings: $6,999,815)
Approximate “Now” Earnings: $14,047,986 (without Dubai earnings: $8,047,986)

Alysheba:
Race Record: 26 Starts – 11 Firsts – 8 Seconds – 2 Thirds
Notable Wins: Kentucky Derby (GI)
                          Preakness Stakes (GI)
                          Super Derby (GI)
                          Charles H. Strub Stakes (GI)
                          Santa Anita Handicap (GI)
                          Philip H. Iselin Handicap (GI)
                          Woodward Handicap (GI)
                          Meadowlands Cup Handicap (GI)
                          Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI)
Real Earnings: $6,679,242
Approximate “Now” Earnings: $8,782,586                     

John Henry:

Race Record: 83 Starts – 39 Firsts – 15 Seconds – 9 Thirds

Notable Wins: San Luis Rey Stakes (GI) – twice
                          San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (GI)
                          Hollywood Invitational Handicap (GI) – three times
                          Oak Tree Invitational Stakes (GI) – three times
                          Santa Anita Handicap (GI) – twice
                          Arlington Million (GI) – twice

                          Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI)
                          Hollywood Turf Cup (GI)

                          Sunset Handicap (GI)

                          Turf Classic (GI)

Real Earnings: $6,591,860

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $7,256,740

Spectacular Bid:

Race Record: 30 Starts – 26 Starts – 2 Seconds – 1 Third
Notable Wins: Champagne Stakes (GI)
                           Laurel Futurity (GI)
                           Florida Derby (GI)
                           Flamingo Stakes (GI)

                           Blue Grass Stakes (GI)

                           Kentucky Derby (GI)

                           Preakness Stakes (GI)

                           Marlboro Cup Handicap (GI)

                           Charles H. Strub Stakes (GI)

                           Santa Anita Handicap (GI)

                           Californian Stakes (GI)

                           Amory L. Haskell Handicap (GI)

                           Woodward Stakes (GI)

Real Earnings: $2,781,608

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $7,424,430

Affirmed:
Race Record: 29 Starts – 22 Firsts – 5 Seconds – 1 Third
Notable Wins: Hopeful Stakes (GI)
                           Futurity Stakes (GI)
                           Laurel Futurity (GI)
                           Santa Anita Derby (GI)
                           Hollywood Derby (GI)
                           Kentucky Derby (GI)
                           Preakness Stakes (GI)
                           Belmont Stakes (GI)

                           Charles H. Strub Stakes (GI)
                           Santa Anita Handicap (GI)
                           Californian Stakes (GI)
                           Hollywood Gold Cup (GI)
                           Woodward Stakes (GI)
                           Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI)
Real Earnings: $2,393,818

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $7,251,100


Seattle Slew:

Race Record: 17 Starts – 14 Firsts – 2 Seconds – 0 Thirds

Notable Wins: Champagne Stakes (GI)

                           Flamingo Stakes (GI)

                           Wood Memorial Stakes (GI)
                           Kentucky Derby (GI)
                           Preakness Stakes (GI)
                           Belmont Stakes (GI)
                           Marlboro Cup Handicap (GI)
                           Woodward Stakes (GI)
Real Earnings: $1,208,726
Approximate “Now” Earnings: $5,763,260

Secretariat:

Race Record: 21 Starts – 16 Firsts – 3 Seconds – 1 Third

Notable Wins:  Hopeful Stakes

   Laurel Futurity
   Kentucky Derby (GI)

   Preakness Stakes (GI)

   Belmont Stakes (GI)
   Marlboro Cup Handicap
   Man O’ War Stakes

Real Earnings: $1,316,808
Approximate “Now” Earnings: $6,109,890

Dr. Fager:

Race Record: 22 Starts – 18 Firsts – 2 Seconds – 1 Third

Notable Wins: Champagne Stakes

                          Vosburgh Handicap – twice

                          Californian Stakes

                          Suburban Handicap

                          Whitney Handicap

                          United Nations Handicap

Real Earnings: $1,002,642

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $2,858,070

Buckpasser:

Race Record: 31 Starts – 25 Firsts – 4 Seconds – 1 Third

Notable Wins: Hopeful Stakes

                           Champagne Stakes

                           Flamingo Stakes

                           Travers Stakes

                           Woodward Stakes

                           Jockey Club Gold Cup

                           Malibu Stakes

                           Metropolitan Handicap

                           Suburban Handicap

Real Earnings: $1,462,014

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $3,915,425

Northern Dancer:

Race Record: 18 Starts – 14 Firsts – 2 Seconds – 2 Thirds

Notable Wins: Summer Stakes

Remsen Stakes 
  Coronation Futurity

  Carleton Stakes

  Flamingo Stakes

  Florida Derby

  Blue Grass Stakes

  Kentucky Derby

  Preakness Stakes

  Queen’s Plate

Real Earnings: $580,647

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $5,159,830
                                               

Native Dancer:

Race Record: 22 Starts – 21 Firsts – 1 Seconds – 0 Thirds

Notable Wins: Saratoga Special Stakes

                          Hopeful Stakes
                          Wood Memorial Stakes
                          Preakness Stakes
                          Belmont Stakes

                          Dwyer Stakes
                          Travers Stakes
                          Metropolitan Handicap

Real Earnings: $785,240   

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $5,144,060

Citation:       
Race Record: 45 Starts – 32 Firsts – 10 Seconds – 2 Thirds

Notable Wins: Futurity Stakes

                          Flamingo Stakes

                          Kentucky Derby

                          Preakness Stakes

                          Belmont Stakes

                          Jockey Club Gold Cup

                          Pimlico Special

                          Hollywood Gold Cup

Real Earnings: $ 1,085,760

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $5,816,240
                                         

Man O’ War:           
Race Record: 21 Starts – 20 Wins – 1 Second – 0 Thirds

Notable Wins: Hopeful Stakes

                           Futurity Stakes

                           Preakness Stakes

                           Belmont Stakes

                           Dwyer Stakes

                           Travers Stakes

                           Jockey Club Gold Cup     

Real Earnings: $249,465

Approximate “Now” Earnings: $3,895,175          

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