Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, known colloquially as The Derby (pronounced "dar-bee" ) and internationally as the Epsom Derby, is considered one of the most prestigious flat
thoroughbred horse races in the world. The race takes place each year in June at
Epsom Downs,
Epsom,
Surrey,
England. (The race was held at
Newmarket from 1915-1918 and called the New Derby Stakes.)
The Derby is one of five
classic races and is the second leg of the English
Triple Crown, preceded by the
2,000 Guineas and followed by the
St Leger.
It is a
Group 1 race for three-year-old
colts and
fillies - colts 9 st (126 lb or 57.2 kg), fillies 8 st 9 lb (121 lb or 54.9 kg). In modern times the race is almost always contested by colts only. Fillies and older horses also run the same course and distance for the
Oaks and
Coronation Cup respectively.
Many Derby contenders are prepared for the race by running in one or more of the recognised
Derby Trials.
Derby winners will often go on to compete for the big international races later in the season, such as the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in
France and the
Breeders' Cup in the
United States.
The first recorded race took place in 1661. The Derby, as it is known today, originated at a celebration following the first running of the
Epsom Oaks in
1779.
Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (whose horse Bridget had been victorious in the race) and Sir
Charles Bunbury flipped a coin and whoever won the toss was to have the race named after him. [
1] Despite losing the toss Sir Charles was to claim victory with his horse Diomed in the inaugural running the following year, collecting prize money of £1,065 15s.The
Earl achieved his first success in the race in
1787 with Sir Peter Teazle.
The first four runnings of the race were over a distance of 1
mile (1,609 metres) but this was amended in
1784 to the current distance of 1 mile 4
furlongs (2,414 metres).As a result of measurement, official distance was changed to 1 mile 4 furlongs and 10
yards (2,423 metres) in
1991.
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1794 The smallest ever field for the race - 4 runners.
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1805 One of the horses was brought down by a spectator.
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1838 Amato never raced before or after winning the Derby.
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1844 The original winner Running Rein was disqualified as he was actually an ineligible four-year-old horse named Maccabeus.
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1862 The biggest ever field for the race - 34 runners.
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1881 Iroquois became the first American-bred to win a leg of the British triple crown.
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1884 The race finished with a dead-heat between Harvester and St Gatien.
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1887 Merry Hampton is the most recent horse to win the Derby with no previous victories.
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1894 The winner was owned by the
Prime Minister at the time, the
5th Earl of Rosebery.
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1909 Minoru was the first Derby winner owned by a reigning monarch,
King Edward VII, who'd previously won twice as
Prince of Wales.
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1913 The
suffragette Emily Davison was killed after throwing herself in front of
King George V's horse, Anmer.
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1913 The 6/4 favourite Craganour, owned by the younger brother of the owner of the
Titanic, was controversially disqualified for deliberate barging and the race was awarded to the 100/1 outsider Aboyeur.
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1916 Fifinella, who also won the
Oaks, is the most recent of 6 fillies to win the race. Both victories were at
Newmarket where the meeting was transferred during
World War I.
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1921 The winner Humorist died two weeks after the race.
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1927 The first Derby to be broadcast by the
BBC.
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1946 Airborne is the most recent of 4 grey horses to win the Derby.
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1953 Pinza was the first winner in the race for the jockey Sir
Gordon Richards, after 27 unsuccessful attempts.
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1954 Lester Piggott, aged 18, became the youngest ever jockey to win the race.
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1981 Shergar won by 10 lengths - the widest winning margin in the race's history.
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1989 The runner-up Terimon is the longest-priced horse to finish placed in the Derby, at odds of 500/1.
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1996 Alex Greaves became the first (and so far only) lady jockey to ride in the race. She finished last on the filly Portuguese Lil.
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1998 The most recent filly to take part, the
1,000 Guineas winner Cape Verdi, started as 11/4 favourite but could only finish 9th.
Fillies indicated by " f "
1780-1799
1800-1849
1850-1899
1900-1949
1950-1999
2000-
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List of British flat horse races*
Trial races for the Epsom Derby*
List of Breeding and Date Foaled by Year since 1780*
Epsom Derby Odds Comparison