The 149th renewal of the Black-Eyed Susan on Saturday, May 18 has seen the 2024 Preakness purse increase to $2,000,000. Which is up 21% from $1.65m in 2023 and meaning this year’s winning horse will bank around $210,000 more for their owners.
Preakness Purse Boosted To $2m For 149th Running
Having secured a cool $3.1m for winning the Kentucky Derby, the owners of Mystik Dan (Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing LLC Et All) will be looking for another big payday in the Preakness Stakes – the middle leg of the US Triple Crown.
The great news for them, and all the other connections with runners in the race, is the Preakness purse has also been boosted by 21% from 2023 – with the pot now offering $2m to the runners.
Mystik Dan now the favorite with the best Preakness Stakes racebooks after the Bob Baffert-trained Muth was scratched from the race just four days before.
How The $2m Preakness Purse 2024 Is Expected To Be Broken Down
The 2024 boosted Black Eyed-Susan purse isn’t ‘winner takes all’ – but, that said, it’s still only on offer to the first five horses home.
Of course, the Preakness Stakes winner will collect the biggest chunk of the Preakness purse pie.
With the overall prize haul up just over 21%, there is every reason to think each of the top five prizes from 2023 will also individually increase by 21% – meaning the winner will get approx. $1.2m.
See below the expected Preakness purse for the first five finishers (based on each increasing 21% from 2023)
- 1st: $1,199,999.00
- 2nd: $399,999.60
- 3rd: $219,999.80
- 4th: $119,999.90
- 5th: $59,999.94
- Total: $1,999,998.20
Note: Figures are just an expected guide based on the overall 21.212% purse increase from 2023 to 2024 – this is the closest we can get it to the $2m confirmed purse (just $1.80 out).
2023 to 2024 Preakness Purse Payouts and Increases
See here in more detail the increase between the 2023 and 2024 winnings for each of the first five horses, with the overall 21% purse boost applied to each finishing position.
The most recent of the past Preakness Stakes winners National Treasure banked $990,000 after landing the 2023 Preakness Stakes, but the 2024 winning horse will collect approx. $209,999 more for their owners.
Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan could be the horse to take these increased winnings home in 2024. The Ken McPeek runner currently has the shortest Preakness Stakes odds and will be looking to give his trainer a second Black-Eyed Susan having won the prize in 2020 with Swiss Skydiver.
Position |
2023 |
2024 |
% Increase |
| 1st | $990,000 | $1,199,999.00 | 21.212% |
| 2nd | $330,000 | $399,999.60 | 21.212% |
| 3rd | $181,500 | $219,999.80 | 21.212% |
| 4th | $99,000 | $119,999.90 | 21.212% |
| 5th | $49,500 | $59,999.94 | 21.212% |
| Total Purse | $1,650,000 | $1,999,998.20 |
Only The Top Five Finishers Will Get Prize Money
Just like the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes purse will only stretch down to the first five horses home.
However, unlike the Run For The Roses, where there are up to 20 runners, the Preakness Stakes often has a lot less. Meaning there’s a better chance for the runners to walk away with some cash.
In 2023, there were only seven Preakness runners, so just two horses missed out on the purse.
- 1st: National Treasure ($990,000)
- 2nd: Blazing Stevens ($330,000)
- 3rd: Mage ($181,500)
- 4th: Red Route One ($99,000)
- 5th: Chase The Chaos ($49,500)
- 6th: Perform ($0)
- 7th: Coffeewithchris ($0)
How The Preakness Prize Money Has Increased Over The Years
Over the years, the Preakness Stakes prize money has increased substantially since it was first run in 1873.
Survivor, who was the very first of the previous Preakness Stakes winners, won just $2,050 that year.
The purse increased over the years and reached $150,000 in 1976, while since then has had other notable prize increase milestones.
With the pot hitting $500,00 in 1989, $1,000,000 in 1998 and $1,500,000 in 2014.
Preakness Stakes Purse: Significant Increases Over The Years
See below the milestone Preakness Stakes purse increases with data provided by race organizers the Maryland Jockey Club, who operate Pimlico Race Course.
- 2024: $2,000,000
- 2023: $1,650,000
- 2014: $1,500,000
- 1998: $1,000,000
- 1989: $500,000
- 1985: $350,000
- 1976: $150,000
Preakness Stakes Winners Prize Money Increase From 2004
| Year | Winner |
Purse (1st) |
| 2023 | National Treasure | $990,000 |
| 2022 |
Early Voting | $990,000 |
| 2021 | Rombauer | $1,000,000 |
| 2020 | Swiss Skydive | $600,000 |
| 2019 | War Of Will | $990,000 |
| 2018 | Justify | $900,000 |
| 2017 | Cloud Computing | $900,000 |
| 2016 | Exaggerator | $900,000 |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | $900,000 |
| 2014 | California Chrome | $900,000 |
| 2013 | Oxbow | $600,000 |
| 2012 | I’ll Have Another | $600,000 |
| 2011 | Shackleford | $1,150,000 |
| 2010 | Lookin At Lucky | $600,000 |
| 2009 | Rachel Alexandra | $660,000 |
| 2008 | Big Brown | $600,000 |
| 2007 | Curlin | $600,000 |
| 2006 | Bernardini | $600,000 |
| 2005 | Afleet Alex | $650,000 |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | $650,000 |
How Does the Preakness Stakes Purse Compare To The Other Triple Crown Races?
All three Triple Crown races this year have seen their purses increase, but it’s still the Kentucky Derby, which Mystik Dan won on May 4, that holds the most prize money at $5m.
Therefore, with the Black-Eyed Susan purse at $2m, it’s still $3m adrift of the Run For The Roses, but does offer the same amount of prize money as the Belmont Stakes – the last leg of the Triple Crown.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic, is still the most lucrative horse race in North America, with a $7,000,000 purse.
- Kentucky Derby: $5m
- Preakness Stakes: $2m
- Belmont Stakes: $2m
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