World’s most expensive racehorse cost colossal £55million to buy

Horse breeders and owners are known to spend staggering sums for top-quality runners, and the record-breaking sale of Fusaichi Pegasus stands testament to this, with a jaw-dropping £55million price tag. Adjusted for today's market, that's what the Kentucky Derby champion would cost if he were to be sold in the present day. At just three years old, Fusaichi Pegasus was snapped up by Coolmore Stud in County Tipperary, who saw immense value in his breeding potential.

While stud fees aren't much of a concern for runners at this week's Cheltenham Festival , as the majority of contenders are geldings, Fusaichi Pegasus was an exception during his time, fetching an extraordinary sum. Such an outlay would be considered a gamble for any horse, even those with a wealth of experience and victories under their belt. Yet, Fusaichi Pegasus, whose name is a blend of his owner Fusao's name and "ichi," meaning "the first/the best" in Japanese, secured this impressive figure after only nine races and earning about £1.



5m in prize money. His performance on the track was nothing short of spectacular. This amount was merely 3 per cent of the staggering fee he was sold for, with Coolmore betting big on his future prospects.

Known affectionately as 'Fu Peg', he grabbed headlines with his triumph in the 2000 Kentucky Derby, adding to his previous wins at the San Felipe Stakes, Wood Memorial Stakes, and Jerome Handicap. After his victory in the Kentucky Derby, which was then the seventh-fastest time in the race's history, Fusaichi Pegasus was defeated by Red Bullet in the Preakness Stakes. He was subsequently withdrawn from the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, and was retired to stud.

At the time, the reported $70m that Coolmore paid for him was equivalent to around £55m. However, due to current exchange rates, the renowned Irish breeders would now have to pay significantly more to match the price paid by his previous owner. Japanese tech entrepreneur Fusao Sekiguchi purchased Fusaichi Pegasus as a yearling for just $4m.

A few years later, the businessman had nearly multiplied his investment twentyfold with that single purchase. Fusaichi Pegasus was always highly valued due to his pedigree. 2000 Kentucky Derby - Fusaichi Pegasus pic.

twitter.com/w5f1fhe9gm His sire, Mr. Prospector, came from excellent stock and was esteemed as a breeding stallion, while his dam, Angel Fever, was a remarkable mare whose lineage was greatly respected.

Fusaichi Pegasus has also sired several top contenders. Bandini, Champ Pegasus, Haradasun, and Roman Ruler have all achieved Grade 1 victories, while other successful offspring include Floral Pegasus and Excusez Moi. Fusaichi Pegasus was retired from stud duty in 2020 and passed away in May 2023 at the age of 26.

Whether his sale price will ever be surpassed is a matter of debate, but it would require a horse of a generation to do so..