| Group 1 race | |
 | |
| Location | Epsom Downs Epsom, Surrey, England |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1780 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Betfred |
| Website | Epsom Derby |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1m 4f 6y (2,419m), or about 1½ miles |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds excluding geldings |
| Weight | 9 st 0 lb Allowances 3 lb for fillies |
| Purse | £1,604,000 (2022) 1st: £909,628 |
The Derby Stakes, also known as the Derby or the Epsom Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey on the first Saturday of June each year, over a distance of one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards (2,423 metres), or about 1½ miles.[1] It was first run in 1780.
It is Britain's richest flat horse race, and the most prestigious of the five Classics. It is sometimes referred to as the "Blue Riband" of the turf. The race serves as the middle leg of the historically significant Triple Crown of British horse racing, preceded by the 2000 Guineas and followed by the St Leger, although the feat of winning all three is rarely attempted in the modern era due to changing priorities in racing and breeding, and the demands it places on horses.
The name "Derby" (deriving from the sponsorship of the Earl of Derby) has been borrowed many times, notably by the Kentucky Derby in the United States, and to describe many other key racing and sporting events. The term "Epsom Derby" is often used in the United States and elsewhere, in order to differentiate The Derby from other races such as the Irish Derby or German Derby.[2] The Derby run at Epsom is usually referred to as "the Derby" in Great Britain. It is one of Britain's great national sporting events[3] and has a large worldwide TV audience.[4]
- ^ "The Derby at Epsom". The Jockey Club. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ Church, Michael The Derby Stakes, 1780-2013 (Raceform, 2016, ISBN 978-1910498927, p.12)
- ^ "Crowds flock to Epsom for Derby Day". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ "BBC Worldwide Offers International TV Rights to Epsom Derby". Sportcal. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.