The Most Expensive Racehorses in the World

Horse racing is considered by many to be a sport for the rich. It’s all about wealth, and record-breaking transactions - and some of the most well-off people in the world have spent their money on racehorses - hoping that theirs will be the one to win the biggest races in the world, from the Grand National to the Kentucky Derby. When you look through the latest racing odds at Boylesports, for example, many of those horses will be owned by the mega-rich and have cost a bomb!

The most successful horses don’t come cheap. Indeed, some of the world’s most expensive racehorses have commanded absolutely massive sums of money, with their pedigree, racing potential, and their breeding value. 

Here, we’re going to look at some of the most expensive racehorses ever sold, what they’ve won - and whether they were worth those massive price tags!

Fusaichi Pegasus – $70 Million

This one certainly needed the buyer to have a bit of spare money in their account! Fusaichi Pegasus is the record holder - and is the most expensive racehorse ever sold. The American Thoroughbred was a success story, having won the 2000 Kentucky Derby - and after this achievement, went on to be purchased by Coolmore Stud for around $70 million. 

But was he worth all that money? Well, his racing career was definitely pretty impressive, but his success at stud was somewhat underwhelming compared to the expectations that came with the price tag...

Shareef Dancer – $40 Million

Then, next on the list, we have Shareef Dancer, a British Thoroughbred, who was bought for a whopping $40 million - and that was in the 1980s, which was an even bigger sum of money back then. 

Trained in the UK, he won both the Irish Derby and the King Edward VII Stakes, so he had plenty of potential. However, despite his promising racing career, unfortunately, he didn’t make much impact as a sire, which was a shame.

The Green Monkey – $16 Million

Third on the list was a horse that was worth a lot of the green stuff… The Green Monkey. He broke records when he was bought at auction, sold for a cool $16 million as a two-year-old. For this money, the expectations were high - with his impeccable pedigree as a descendant of the incredibly successful sire Northern Dancer. 

However, sadly, he never quite managed to live up to all the hype. He never won any major races and went on to retire early.

Seattle Dancer – $13.1 Million

Seattle Dancer was the most expensive yearling that was ever sold when he was sold at auction for $13.1 million in 1985. He didn’t do too bad… and had a pretty decent racing career, winning the Gallinule Stakes and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. However, he never quite managed to reach elite status in the racing world.

Meydan City – $11.7 Million

Another horse that went for big bucks was Meydan City, a high-priced yearling, who was bought for $11.7 million back in 2006. Despite the fact that he was purchased by the powerhouse Godolphin Racing, he didn’t really manage to make much of an impact on the racing scene, which was quite the disappointment.

Snaafi Dancer – $10.2 Million

Next comes Snaafi Dancer, another incredibly expensive racehorse that came with high hopes for his high price tag. Bought for no less than $10.2 million back in 1983, he never managed to quite live up to expectations - never competing in a single race and was equally unsuccessful when it came to siring.

What Makes a Racehorse So Expensive?

So, what contributes to adding dollars to the price tag? 

• Pedigree: Horses that have descended from legendary bloodlines are often sold at a premium.
• Racing Potential: Trainers and owners will also look at the horse’s conformation, movement, and early performances before they invest a lot of money.
• Breeding Value: Even if a horse doesn’t have an outstanding racing career, it can be worth a lot of money as a stud.
• Auction Frenzy: If the bidding gets competitive, it can go for a lot more than anticipated.

Ultimately, people spend a lot of money on racehorses… and with expectations being so high, many simply fail to live up to the hype!