Now that American Pharoah is the first Triple Crown winner in decades after Saturday’s Belmont Stakes victory, his value could skyrocket to as much as $100 million over the next few years.
While American Pharoah had already won millions from wins in top-tier races like the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, his real moneymaking abilities will come from his stud fee. Owners of female horses pay stud fees to owners of male horses for the right to breed the animals. A proven track record helps boost racehorses’ stud fees to sometimes astronomical sums, especially if their offspring become winners, too.
Still, it’s hard to put an exact value on American Pharoah’s stud fee just yet. The figure may range from $100,000 to $150,000, according to Reiley McDonald, with Eaton Sales, a thoroughbred consulting firm.
“At the end of the day, the real money in these horses is when they become proven stallions, [which] have offspring that are running in the top races,” McDonald told the International Business Times. “People then pay multiples of the starting fee when they started off the race track.”
See All 12 Winners of the Triple Crown
![SIR BARTON 1919 DERBY WINNER 1919: Sir Barton, the first winner of the Triple Crown](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/sir-barton-1919.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![GALLANT FOX EARL SANDE 1930: Gallant Fox, with jockey Earl Sande](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gallant-fox-1930.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Horses Named Omaha 1935: Omaha](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/omaha-1935.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![C. Kurtsinger 1937: War Admiral with jockey C. Kurtsinger](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/admiral-1937.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Wendell Eads, Ben Jones 1941: Whirlaway with jockey Wendell Eads](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/whirlaway-1941.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/count-fleet-1943.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Kentucky Derby 1946: Assault](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/assault-1946.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![EDDIE ARCARO CITATION 1948: Citation with jockey Eddie Arcaro](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/citation-1948.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![SECRETARIAT WINS THE 99TH KENTUC 1973: Secretariat with jockey Ron Turcotte](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/secretariat-1973.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Triple Crown Horse Racing Triple Crown Horse Racing](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/seattle-slew-1977.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Affirmed Smiles 1979: Affirmed with jockey Laffit Pincay](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/affirmed-1979.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Victor Espinoza Victor Espinoza american pharoah belmont stakes](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/american-pharoah-21.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com