The Stud Fee Economy: Why Golden Tempo's Kentucky Derby Win Could Be Worth $25 Million
Golden Tempo won the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday. A 23-1 long shot, the three-year-old thoroughbred entered the final turn in last place before outkicking everyone to win by a neck, making Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer to win the Derby (and just the second female trainer to win a historic triple crown race).
In addition to the Kentucky Derby’s prestigious 14-karat solid gold trophy, Golden Tempo left Churchill Downs with a $3.1 million first-place prize. Trainer Cherie DeVaux and jockey Jose Ortiz each get 10% of that prize ($310,000), with the horse’s ownership group — Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable — splitting the remaining 80% ($2.48 million) based on their preexisting ownership agreement. And since Golden Tempo was bred by his owners and never sold at auction, a Kentucky Derby win guarantees at least a seven-figure profit for his owners.
But prize money is also only one part of the equation. Depending on how Golden Tempo performs over the next few months and how his offspring perform in the seasons after that, Saturday’s comeback win could be worth $25 million or more.
Here’s why…