The Biggest Horse Races In The World

Marcus Bazzano
By Marcus Bazzano
The Biggest Horse Races In The World

What Is The Most Famous Horse Race?

The most famous horse race in the world is the Royal Ascot Gold Cup, held at Ascot Racecourse in England. With a history dating back to 1807, it's a prestigious event that attracts royalty, celebrities, and racing enthusiasts globally.

What Are The Most Famous Horse Races?

The most famous horse races in the world include:

  • Royal Ascot Gold Cup (England)
  • Kentucky Derby (USA)
  • Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (France)
  • Melbourne Cup (Australia)
  • Dubai World Cup (UAE)

These iconic races are renowned for their rich history, prestige, and massive prizes, attracting global attention and showcasing the sport's finest horses and jockeys.

What Is The Biggest Horse Race In The World?

The Kentucky Derby, held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, is arguably the biggest horse race in the world, with a rich history and a prize pool of $5 million, attracting top horses and jockeys, and is often referred to as the “Run for the Roses”.

What Are The Biggest Horse Races In The World?

Below you can find a list of the biggest horse races in the world:

  • Saudi Cup (Saudi Arabia)
  • Kentucky Derby (USA)
  • Preakness Stakes (USA)
  • Belmont Stakes (USA)
  • Epsom Derby (UK)
  • Breeders Cup Classic (USA)
  • Dubai World Cup (UAE) 
  • Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (France)
  • Melbourne Cup (Australia)
  • The Everest (Australia)
  • Royal Ascot (UK)
  • Gold Cup at Ascot (UK)
A general view of Churchill Downs during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. Photo by Getty Images.

What Is The Richest Race In The World?

The richest horse races in the world include:

  • Saudi Cup ($20 million)
  • The Everest ($20 million)
  • Dubai World Cup ($12 million)
  • The Golden Eagle ($10 million)
  • Melbourne Cup ($8 million)
  • Breeders' Cup Classic ($6 million)
  • Dubai Sheema Classic ($6 million)
  • Arima Kinen ($5.9 million)
  • JAPAN Cup ($5.9 million)
  • Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe ($5 million)

What Is The Richest Race In America?

The richest race in America is the Kentucky Derby, held at Churchill Downs, with a purse of $3 million and a $2 million bonus for the winner, totaling a prize of $5 million. This prestigious Grade I race attracts top thoroughbreds and is the first leg of the American Triple Crown.

What Is The Triple Crown Of Racing?

The Triple Crown of horse racing in the United States is a series of three races for three-year-old thoroughbred horses:

Jockey Jaime Torres riding Seize the Grey celebrates after winning the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Photo by Getty Images.

What Are The Biggest Horse Races In USA?

Below you can find a list of the biggest horse races in the USA:

  • Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Preakness Stakes, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Belmont Stakes, Elmont, New York
  • Breeders' Cup Classic (location varies, most recently Santa Anita Park, California)
  • Travers Stakes, Saratoga Springs, New York

What Is The Grand Slam Of Horse Racing?

In the United States, the Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing is an informal name for winning four major thoroughbred horse races in one season. 

The term has been applied to two configurations of races, both of which include the races of the Triple Crown and either the Travers Stakes or the Breeders' Cup Classic as the final race.

The Grand Slam of horse racing in Australia is a series of three thoroughbred horse races held in spring in Melbourne, Australia:

  • The Caulfield Cup
  • The Cox Plate
  • The Melbourne Cup

What Is The Big Horse Race In England? 

The Grand National is a premier horse racing event held at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England, featuring a challenging 4-mile course with 30 fences, attracting top horses and jockeys from around the world.

Jockeys and horses competing in the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase on Grand National Day at Aintree Racecourse. Photo by Getty Images.

Is The Melbourne Cup The Biggest Race In The World?

The Melbourne Cup is considered one of the world's biggest and most prestigious horse races, but not the largest, with a global audience of over 700 million people and a prize pool of AUD 8 million.

What Is The Oldest Horse Race In The World?

The Kiplingcotes Derby, held in Yorkshire, England, is the oldest horse race in the world, dating back to 1519. With a 4-mile course, it has a rich history, predating the more famous Epsom Derby by over 200 years. It is still run annually, making it a unique and historic event.

The Palio di Siena is an honorable mention and is a legendary horse race held in Siena, Italy, where jockeys ride bareback around a medieval square, competing for pride and honor in a centuries-old tradition.

What Is The Biggest Jump Horse Race In The World?

The Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan is the biggest jump horse race in the world, with a massive prize pool of over ¥432 million (approximately $3.9 million USD), attracting top international horses and jockeys.

What Is The Biggest Horse Race Track In The World?       

The biggest horse race track in the world is the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with a massive grandstand and a 2,400-meter long track, hosting the prestigious Dubai World Cup with a prize pool of $12 million.

In terms of capacity, the Tokyo Racecourse in Japan is one of the largest horse race tracks in the world, with a massive capacity for over 200,000 spectators, hosting prestigious races like the Japan Cup and the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby).

Marcus Bazzano
By Marcus Bazzano

Marcus is a young but experienced sports journalist and content creator, having been in the industry 5+ years. He has written racing specific content for leading racing sites such as RacingBase, Odds and now Fan Odds. Marcus learnt his love for racing from his father, who has owned multiple horses in Marcus' lifetime.