Did you know: The world’s richest racehorse

Apr 15, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Forever Young edges the world's richest horse, Romantic Warrior (right), in the 2025 Saudi Cup (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

Because April 15 is tax day in the United States, the deadline for filing federal tax returns, thoughts naturally turn toward the topics of income and wealth. Did you know that top racehorses can become multi-millionaires, and that the world’s two richest Thoroughbreds have bankrolled more than $30 million – and counting?

Topping the all-time earnings list is an Irish-bred based in Hong Kong, Romantic Warrior, whose tally currently stands at about $32.5 million. Japan’s globetrotting dirt star Forever Young has amassed more than $31.7 million.

Interestingly, the two did run against each other once. Their clash fittingly occurred in the world’s richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), in 2025. Romantic Warrior, who has compiled his glittering resume on turf, sportingly tried his luck on dirt and nearly pulled off a victory, only to be worn down late by dirt specialist Forever Young.

As that vignette illustrates, both have been adventurous on the world stage. U.S. racing fans know Forever Young for his near-miss third in the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) as well as his Breeders’ Cup bids. Third in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic, Forever Young prevailed at Del Mar last fall to clinch an Eclipse Award as champion older dirt male.

But Forever Young has also had Mideast campaigns for the past three years in a row, beginning with his Saudi Derby (G3)/UAE Derby (G2) double as a sophomore. As an older horse, he has targeted the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup (G1).

After besting Romantic Warrior last season, Forever Young returned to become the first two-time Saudi Cup winner on Feb. 14. But he hasn’t managed to follow up successfully in the Dubai World Cup, where he was third to Hit Show in 2025 and most recently runner-up to Magnitude in the 2026 edition.

If Forever Young had won the $12 million Dubai World Cup, he would have overtaken Romantic Warrior as the all-time leading earner. The Yoshito Yahagi trainee still has time to add to his bankroll later this year, but Romantic Warrior will pad his total in the meantime.

Trained by Danny Shum, who charmingly regards him as a beloved son, Romantic Warrior won the 2022 Hong Kong Derby and rapidly became a standout on his home circuit. To mention just one pointer to his dominance at Sha Tin, he’s defeated world-class shippers in the Hong Kong Cup (G1) – the anchor of the Hong Kong International Races every December – for an unprecedented four straight years.

Yet Romantic Warrior has also taken his game on the road, winning majors in three other countries at different distances. Traveling to Australia in 2023, he was all heart to take the nation’s most prestigious event, the about 1 1/4-mile Cox Plate (G1). Romantic Warrior went on to defeat the best Japanese milers in the 2024 Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo. He added Dubai to his resume in early 2025, when he romped in the Jebel Hatta (G1) in course-record time for about 1 1/8 miles at Meydan.

Romantic Warrior, now an eight-year-old, has focused on a domestic campaign this term. He’s scheduled to make his next appearance in the April 26 QEII Cup (G1) at Sha Tin. A three-peat winner from 2022-24, he had to skip it a year ago when sidelined following his Saudi/Dubai trip. But Romantic Warrior has since returned with a vengeance, riding a four-race winning streak.

Romantic Warrior’s latest victories have come in the first two legs of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown, the Jan. 25 Stewards’ Cup (G1) and March 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1). (Unlike the U.S. Triple Crown and others inspired by British precedent, which are limited to three-year-olds, Hong Kong’s version is open to older horses).

Plans call for Romantic Warrior to go for an historic sweep in the May 24 Champions & Chater Cup (G1). If he prevails, he’d become only the third horse to achieve the Hong Kong Triple Crown, after River Verdon (1994) and Voyage Bubble (2025).

The Hong Kong Triple Crown also carries a bonus of HK$10 million (more than $1.2 million), so Romantic Warrior has every chance to extend his lead over Forever Young in the race for world’s richest horse.