On Saturday, thousands of Lilly Pulitzer and fascinator-clad fans will descend upon Churchill Downs in Louisville for the 152nd Annual Kentucky Derby. This year, 18 Thoroughbred colts and fillies with names like Renegade, Litmus Test and Chief Wallabee will tear through the starting gates for a chance to be draped in the famous Garland of Roses and earn their piece of an incredibly lucrative prize purse.
But how much is that purse, exactly? What might these horses and their owners earn from an appearance in the Winner's Circle, and how has that amount changed over time?
