As an expert, I can provide you with a detailed answer on how much a jockey makes per race. It is important to note that jockeys do not earn a traditional salary like most professionals. Instead, they receive a “mounting fee” for each race they participate in. This fee can vary depending on factors such as the track, the level of the race, and the jockey’s experience and reputation.
Typically, mounting fees for jockeys range from $50 to $110 per race. However, it is worth mentioning that these figures can fluctuate and may be higher for more prestigious races or tracks. It is also important to note that jockeys often ride multiple races in a day, sometimes as many as eight races. This means that their earnings from mounting fees can add up quickly.
While the mounting fee provides a base income for jockeys, the real opportunity for them to make significant money comes from prize money. If a jockey can guide a horse to finish first, second, or third in a race, they become eligible to earn a portion of the purse. The purse is the total prize money awarded to the top finishers in a race.
The distribution of prize money varies depending on the specific race and track. Typically, the winning jockey receives the largest share of the purse, followed by the second and third-place jockeys. The exact percentage that jockeys receive from the purse can also vary, but it is usually around 10% for the winning jockey, 5-6% for the second-place jockey, and 3-4% for the third-place jockey. These percentages can be higher for some races or tracks.
It is important to note that not all races offer substantial prize money, especially lower-level races. In such cases, jockeys may rely more on their mounting fees as their main source of income. However, for higher-level races, such as stakes races or major events, the prize money can be quite substantial.
To give you a personal example, I have seen instances where jockeys have earned several thousand dollars for winning a single race in a high-profile event. These significant earnings are a result of the combination of mounting fees and the percentage they receive from the purse.
While jockeys earn a mounting fee for each race they ride, their real opportunity to make substantial money comes from earning a share of the prize money. The mounting fee can range from $50 to $110 per race, and jockeys often ride multiple races in a day. The percentage of the purse that jockeys receive varies but is usually around 10% for the winning jockey. The potential earnings for jockeys can be significant, especially in higher-level races with larger purses.