How much prize money did Junior Alvarado get for winning 2025 Kentucky Derby?

The miserable weather couldn’t put a dampener on the 151st edition of the Kentucky Derby which was won in emphatic style by Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado, crossing the line on 2:02.31 - a respectable time considering the atrocious conditions.

The colt surged powerfully into the final turn, overtaking the big favorite Journalism in the home stretch of a mud-soaked race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Junior Alvarado dedicates win to “all of Venezuela”

The top three was completed by Journalism and Baeza who finished first and second in last month’s Santa Anita Derby.

Venezuelan jockey Junior Alvarado, whose previous best finish in the Kentucky Derby was fourth in 2016, told reporters after the race that he was feeling confident about his chances. “I was quite optimistic, I knew what I came to do at the Kentucky Derby. Sovereignty delivered a spectacular performance, and I’m grateful to trainer William Mott. This win was for me, for my family, and for all of Venezuela.”

Sovereignty started out at 7-1 with the bookies - behind Journalism (3-1) and Sandman (5-1).

2025 Kentucky Derby prize money

There was a $5 million prize purse will be up for grabs at the 2025 Derby - the same as last year, when the total purse was hiked by $2 million. The Kentucky Derby purse had been worth $3 million since 2019, and was $2 million from 2005-18 and $1 million from 1996-2004.

According to The Athletic‘s Andrew DeWitt and Drew Jordan, only the Breeders’ Cup Classic - a race held at alternating venues every November - has a larger purse among American events, now standing at a eye-watering $30 million - a massive $23 million increase since last year.

Of the $5 million purse at the 2025 Kentucky Derby, which is distributed among the first five finishers, $3.1 million went to the winner, Junior Alvarado with $1 million due to the runner-up, Umberto Rispoli.

According to a prize-money breakdown by racing expert Keeler Johnson, the horse’s owner typically takes home 80% of the payout, with 10% each shared out to the jockey and the trainer.

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