Triple Crown 2018: Justify's Total Prize Money Earned After Belmont Stakes

Even though 2018 hasn't hit its halfway point, Justify has already had a very lucrative year. 

That's what happens to a horse that wins the Triple Crown. Justify became the 13th horse in history to capture the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. 

Per Scott Ross of NBC Chicago, winning all three Triple Crown races brings with it $5 million in purse money. That includes $2 million for the Kentucky Derby and $1.5 million each for the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. 

Bob Baffert, Justify's trainer, noted in the lead-up to the Belmont Stakes that the poor weather in the first two Triple Crown races took a lot out of the horse. 

"You do hate to keep running on these wet tracks because it does take a little bit out of them," Baffert said, per the Associated Press (via USA Today). "It can be tough. It's not as tough on him because he's a big horse. He can handle it. He was blowing pretty good, he got a good blow out of (the Preakness), but he wasn't as tired as we thought he was."

You would never know Justify was feeling it at the Belmont Stakes. The three-year-old superstar came out of the gate in the lead and never relinquished his position before crossing the finish line. 

Making Justify's quest for history and multimillion dollar earnings more impressive is the horse didn't run his first sanctioned race until Feb. 18. He became the first horse in 136 years to win the Kentucky Derby after not racing as a two-year-old. 

That turned out to be the beginning of a historic month-long Triple Crown run for Justify.

As impressive as Justify's earnings over the past four months have been, this is just the beginning for the horse and his owners at the China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farm. 

American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown in 2015, had his stud rights sold to Ashford Stud for an undisclosed amount, per CNN Money. Ashford Stud is already owed more than $20 million from American Pharoah's healthy foals. 

Justify will be bringing in a lot more money when his stud fees are sold. He can also keep racing with the Breeders Cup coming up in October. 

Belmont Stakes payout info via Equibase.