Racehorses are some of the most adored animals in the world. They are exceptionally easy to train, and they have incredible speed and agility, a gentle disposition, and more talent in their right hoof than many people running through their bodies.
Equestrian sports are made all the better by the talents of these exceptional creatures. In fact, the sport would (literally) be nothing without them.
So it’s only right that many of these incredible racehorses come with a pretty hefty price tag!
If you’re interested in seeing which racehorse is predicted to next come out on top, you can check out TVG’s top contenders. But if you’re interested in learning more about the most expensive racehorses in the world, this we have you covered!
Fusaichi Pegasus
Breed: Thoroughbred
Price: $70 million
The Thoroughbred stallion has easily earned the top spot on this list! He was bought as a yearling for a cool $4 million.
Fusaichi Pegasus was foaled in 1997 and was immediately billed as a top championship contender across many races. After being purchased in 2000, Fusaichi Pegasus went on to win the Kentucky Derby that same year.
Once he retired from racing, he was sold to a syndicate for an eye-watering total of $70 million! In terms of horse racing, this remains the all-time highest record at the auction.
There were a couple of things that created such a total. For example, his offspring went on to achieve 75 wins in different stake races, which helped to drive his value.
Justify
Breed: Thoroughbred
Price: $60 million
As a chestnut son of Scatcat, Justify already had considerable value in expectations and overall levels of talent. He was purchased at a yearling auction for a total of $500,000 and went on to prove exactly why he deserved such a big price tag.
He started his racing career as a three-year-old and reigned undefeated throughout his six-race-long career. Notably, he obtained record-breaking wins in the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, and the Kentucky Derby in 2018.
His breeding rights were sold in 2018 to a company called Coolmore. In addition to $15 million in winnings, his total value exceeds $75 million!
Shareef Dancer
Breed: Thoroughbred
Price: $40 million
Shareef Dancer was initially purchased in 1983 for a staggering $40 million. He won three out of five races in the UK — including the Irish Derby Stakes — which made him a real household name in the horse racing industry.
Factors contributing to this price tag include a flourishing horse racing industry and great timing. However, another major factor was his impressive speed, thanks to such excellent bloodlines.
This is because Shareef Dancer was a direct descendant of Northern Dancer, one of history’s greatest and most successful studs.
The Green Monkey
Breed: Thoroughbred
Price: $16 million
This American thoroughbred was another direct descendant of Northern Dancer. He shot to stardom in 2006 when he was sold as a two-year-old colt for $16 million. Unfortunately, he did not have the talents to back up his reputation.
Unlike other direct descendants, The Green Monkey did not live up to people’s hopes for a lucrative racing career. Instead, he retired only two years after being purchased without winning a single race.
He passed away in 2018 due to complications that arose from laminitis.
Palloubet d’Halong
Breed: Selle Francais
Price: $15 million
After being developed by Janika Sprunger, Palloubet d’Halong was later sold to former Olympic equestrian Jan Tops in 2013 for an impressive $15 million.
The male Selle Francais Gelding put on an impressive performance during the PSI European Championship, a huge factor in achieving widespread success and recognition. Along with Sprunger, Palloubet d’Halong competed well at the Grand Prix level.
With so much success despite still being relatively young, many people were happy to pay good money to see this racehorse in action. This is when Jan Tops swooped in.
Seattle Dancer
Breed: Irish Thoroughbred
Price: $13.1 million
Seattle Dancer was yet another direct descendant of Northern Dancer, who also went on to experience widespread success.
To this day, Seattle Dancer remains one of the most expensive yearlings ever sold at a public auction. This auction took place in 1985 and saw some of the most intense biddings on behalf of some huge breeders, including Sheikh Mohammad and Allen Paulson.
As a result, he was sold for a staggering $13.1 million, which, considering his age, was impressive!
Seattle Dancer won two races and sired 37 stake race winners throughout his racing career, including Caffe Latte, Que Belle, Seattle Rhyme, and Pike Place Dancer.
He passed away in 2007 after suffering a heart attack.
Summary
These are the most expensive racehorses in the world you need to know about. Although many of these horses are no longer with us, their legacy continues to live on through their descendants and the amazing achievements they accomplished during their racing careers.
