 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2024) |
| Group 2 race | |
| Location | Meydan Racecourse Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 2000 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | [1] |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,900 metres (1 3/16 miles) |
| Surface | dirt, left-handed |
| Qualification | 3-year-olds from the Northern & 4-year-olds from the Southern Hemisphere |
| Weight | NH: 54.5kg. – SH: 59.5kg Allowance fillies 2kg. |
| Purse | US$2,500,000 |
The UAE Derby is a Group 2 flat horse race in the United Arab Emirates for three-year-old thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,900 metres (approximately 9.5 furlongs) on dirt at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.[1] It takes place annually during the Dubai World Cup Night on the last Saturday in March.
It was first run in 2000 and attained Group 2 status two years later. The distance of the race was increased to 2,000 metres (10 furlongs) in 2002, before reverting to 1,800 metres in 2004, and increased again to 1,900 meters in 2010. The race is open to both Northern and Southern Hemisphere three-year-olds.
The UAE Derby currently offers a purse of US$2.5 million. Considered a major race leading up to the Kentucky Derby in the United States, the top UAE Derby finishers received Kentucky Derby points from 2013 until 2024. Starting in 2025, the UAE Derby will be part of a separate series of Kentucky Derby prep races covering Europe and the Middle East.[2]
- ^ "UAE Derby (GII)". Kentucky Derby. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
- ^ "Churchill Modifies Road to the Kentucky Derby for 2025". bloodhorse.com. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.