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| 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)
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.
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)
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
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
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)
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)
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)
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
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:
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
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)
Kentucky Derby (GI)
Preakness Stakes (GI)
Belmont Stakes (GI)
Marlboro Cup Handicap
Man O’ War Stakes
Marlboro Cup Handicap
Man O’ War Stakes
Real Earnings: $1,316,808
Approximate “Now” Earnings: $6,109,890
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
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
Wood Memorial Stakes
Preakness Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Dwyer Stakes
Travers Stakes
Metropolitan Handicap
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
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
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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Thanks, Mary! Very interesting calculations you've worked out plus highlighting the particular races won by these athletes. What I also find interesting, yet sad is how far fewer races our latter day horses are running. At least Curlin got to start more than eight or ten times.
ReplyDeleteYou've certainly put a lotta work into this. I agree with Celeste, the U.S. horses seem to be running less and less these days before they send them off to the breeding barns. That may be where the big money is but damn, ya just get into one and then they're gone. There are some, however, like Havre De Grace who are coming back for another year. Here's hoping she stays sound and makes the "Top Earners" list.
ReplyDelete