Derby (horse race)

A derby (UK: /ˈdɑːrbi/ DAR-bee, US: /ˈdɜːrbi/ DUR-bee) is a type of horse race named after the Derby Stakes run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in England.[1] That was in turn named after Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, who inaugurated the race in 1780.[2] Perhaps the best-known example after the original is the Kentucky Derby in the United States.[3][4]

See also: Derby (disambiguation)
The start of the 2009 Hong Kong Derby.

Traditionally, the term "derby" is used strictly to refer to races restricted to three-year-olds, as the English and U.S. Triple Crown races all are. The most notable exceptions to this rule are the Hong Kong Derby and Singapore Derby, restricted to four-year-old Thoroughbreds, and the Canadian Pacing Derby, an annual harness race for "aged pacers" (Standardbreds) four years old and up.

In Scandinavian harness racing Derby is restricted to four-year-olds. Exception is the Finnhorse Derby, which is restricted to five-year-olds.

NamePlaceDistanceRestrictionsFirst
race		DayNotes
American DerbyArlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA[t 1]1 3⁄16 miles (1900 m)[t 2]1884[5]
Australian Derby (also known as AJC Derby)Randwick Racecourse, Sydney2400 metres
(1.5 miles)		3 yr olds1861Late March or early April
Bangalore Derby[6]2,400 metres4 yr olds & up
Epsom Derby (also known as The Derby, Derby Stakes and the English Derby)Epsom Downs Racecourse, England1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards
(2423 metres)		3 yr olds colts and fillies17801st Saturday in June[t 3]
French Derby (more often known as Prix du Jockey Club)Chantilly Racecourse2100 metres
(1.30 miles; 10.44 furlongs)		3 yr olds colts and fillies1836Early June
German Derby (Deutsches Derby)Horner Rennbahn, Hamburg2,400 metres (1.5 miles)3 yr olds colts and fillies1869Early July
Hong Kong DerbySha Tin Racecourse2,000 metres4 yr olds1873mid March
Hungarian Derby (Magyar Derby)Kincsem Park, Budapest2,400 metres3 yr olds1921Early July
Italian Derby (Derby Italiano)Capannelle Racecourse22001884
Indian DerbyMahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India2,400 metres4 yr olds19431st Sunday in Feb.
Irish DerbyThe Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland1 1⁄2 miles (2.4 km)3 yr olds1866Last Sunday in June[t 4]
Kentucky DerbyChurchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky, USA1 1⁄4 miles (2 km)3 yr olds18751st Saturday in May
New Zealand DerbyEllerslie Racecourse, Auckland2400 metres
(1.5 miles; 12 furlongs)		3yr olds18601st Saturday in March
Queensland DerbyEagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane2400 metres
(1.5 miles; 12 furlongs)		3yr olds1868June
Singapore DerbyKranji Racecourse1,800 metres4 yr olds1880Mid July
Swedish Trotting Derby (Svenskt Travderby)Jägersro Racetrack, Malmö2640 metres (1.64 mi; 13.12 furlongs)4yr olds19281st Sunday in September
Tokyo Yushun
Japanese Derby		Tokyo Racecourse2,400 metres3 yr olds colts and fillies1932late May or Early JuneCurrently the richest Derby.
Victoria DerbyFlemington Racecourse2,500 metres3 yr olds1855
WATC DerbyAscot Racecourse, Perth2,400 metres3yr olds1888New Years Day or nearby Saturday
Notes:
  1. Location has varied
  2. Distance has varied
  3. Before 1995, 1st Wednesday in June
  4. Current race date. Dates have varied over time, but have always been in late June or early July.
Other

Notes
  1. Reeves 1997, p.134.
  2. Vesey 2003, p. 135.
  3. Freeman 1997, p. 68.
  4. Schreifer & Sivell 1996, p. K-1.
  5. Only run once between 1905 and 1925.
  6. Sun Kingdom wins Bangalore Derby Retrieved 2011-2-6

References
  • Ashok, Kalyan (11 July 2010), "Derby getting bigger and better", The Hindu
  • Freeman, Morton S. (1997), A new dictionary of eponyms (Illustrated ed.), Oxford University Press US, ISBN 0-19-509354-2
  • Reeves, Richard Stone (1997), Crown jewels of thoroughbred racing: original paintings (Illustrated ed.), Eclipse Press, ISBN 0-939049-90-2
  • Schreifer, Kirk; Sivell, John (1996), America From Apple Pie To Ziegfeld Follies Book One: People, 1 (Illustrated ed.), Full Blast Productions, ISBN 1-895451-17-5
  • Vesey, Barbara (2003), The Hidden Places of East Anglia: Including Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire (7 ed.), Travel Publishing, ISBN 1-902007-91-3
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