Belmont Stakes payout breakdown: How much prize money will the winner get in 2021?

Prizes for the sports world's largest competitions were cut down in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, but they're already going back up in 2021. 

The latest example: the 2021 Belmont Stakes. 

The race will return to the same purse as 2019 before the pandemic, with the winner also set to receive the same payout as the year when Sir Winston placed first. 

MORE: Full draw & odds for the 2021 Belmont Stakes race

Here's a look at the purse and payout breakdown for the 2021 Belmont Stakes.

What is the Belmont Stakes purse in 2021?

As was the case with many races held in 2020, the purse for the Belmont Stakes was cut down to $1 million, reducing the total prize money by 33 percent from the prior season. 

In 2021, it will be going back up to the same number as 2019: $1.5 mllion. 

How much money does the Belmont Stakes winner get?

After last year's prize pool was cut down, the purse in 2021 will allow the winner of the Belmont Stakes to receive a larger prize this year. 

The winner of the 2021 Belmont Stakes will take home $800,000, the same amount as Sir Winston, the winner in 2019. That $800,000 prize represents 53.3 percent of the total prize money. 

Last year, Tiz the Law earned just $535,000 for his first-place finish. 

Prize money breakdown for Belmont Stakes 2021

The $1.5 million purse will see the first-place finisher take home a prize of $800,000. It has not yet been announced how much the remaining four finishers will receive at the end of the race. 

In 2019, when the purse was $1.9 million, the second-place finisher received $300,000, third place received $165,000, fourth place brought home $90,000 and fifth place earned $45,000. 

Belmont Stakes prize money compared with other Triple Crown races

The Belmont Stakes falls between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in total prize money handed out for 2021.

The Kentucky Derby had the largest purse of the three horse races at $3 million — double the Belmont Stakes purse — while the Preakness Stakes sits at $1 million.