TWO racehorses made £80million for their owners last year without even setting hoof on a track.
In a world of simply jaw-dropping riches and cash, Dubawi and Frankel stand out as the two superstar stallions of this golden age.
Frankel was a monster on the racecourse – but makes even more money at stud
Dettori rode Dubawi to victory on the track but it’s at stud the horse is making mega money
They made so much, in fact, that both of them could have made it on Forbes’ richest athlete in the world list.
This despite neither of them running in a race in more than a decade.
After the passing of icon Galileo, Dubawi and Frankel have emerged as the undoubted studs of the stallion world.
And their astronomical nomination fees show just how valued they are.
Frankel, the 14-times unbeaten thoroughbred considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all time, charges £275,000 to cover a mare.
His fee has shot up by £75,000 for this year after huge success on the track.
In 2022 he charged £200,000 a pop and covered 188 mares in all – netting owners Juddmonte an eye-popping £37.6m.
Even Frankel has to play second fiddle to Dubawi though, the Godolphin-owned successor to Galileo.
His stud fee has hit £350,000 a go in 2023 – up an amazing £100,000 from last year.
In 2022 he covered 165 mares at £250,000 a pop, bringing in £41,250,000.
The two combined for £78,850,000 in all.
Even individually they could made the top 50 on Forbes’ richest athlete list.
Frankel’s earnings in pounds last year equate to $46.7m, which would put him 46th on the list, one behind golfer Scottie Scheffler and one ahead of Liv rival Sergio Garcia.
It’s even better news for Dubawi.
His massive earnings equal about $51.3m, good enough for 35th on the list, one spot below baseball star Paul George.
Bear in mind, these totals don’t include all the on-course earnings of their progeny.
Frankel’s offspring made more than £15m in Britain, Ireland and Europe last year alone.
Looking at it like that, it surely won’t be long until we have a new king of the stud world.
