The 2013 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 2 March 2013. It was the 138th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Habibi. With Silent Achiever having won the race 12 months earlier, it was the first time in the history of the race that fillies have won the Derby two years in a row. The runner-up, Fix, is also a filly, and it was just the second time fillies have finished first and second in the race in more than half a century.
The race is also notable for being the fifth Derby win for jockey Vinnie Colgan - an all-time record for the race.
Habibi's Derby win came in just her seventh career start, and as part of her first racing campaign. She made her debut on her home track, Ruakaka, on October 17, winning over 1200m. A series of increasingly impressive wins followed, including a Group 2 double against males at Ellerslie Racecourse over the Christmas/New Year period. It was then that connections opted to target the Derby.
Although she had tasted defeat for the first time at her previous start, when a fast-finishing third in the Avondale Guineas, Habibi was the hot favourite in the Derby. She began well, but settled in about midfield as a strong pace was set by front-runner Castlzeberg. Habibi made her run early in the home straight, and she and Fix passed Castlzeberg together and drew away to fight out the finish. Though Fix resisted strongly all the way to the line, Habibi was able to edge away to win by half a length.
| Margin | Horse | Jockey | Trainer(s) | Odds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Habibi | Vinnie Colgan | Donna & Dean Logan | $3.00 | ||
| 2 | ½ | Fix | Mark Du Plessis | Ken & Bev Kelso | $9.60 | |
| 3 | 1½ | Castlzeberg | Opie Bosson | Jenny & Bob Vance | $3.80 | |
| 4 | 2¼ | Saint Kitt | Rogan Norvall | Kelly Burne | $124.50 | |
| 5 | 1¼ | Choice Bro | Jonathan Riddell | John Sargent | $15.90 | |
| 6 | Head | King Kamada | Noel Harris | Lisa Latta | $27.40 | |
| 7 | 1½ | Alert | Matthew Cameron | Jason Bridgman | $13.50 | |
| 8 | 4 | Zinko | Alysha Collett | Moira Murdoch & Dominic Olson | $48.70 | |
| 9 | ¾ | The Grinner | Mark Hills | Stephen McKee | $60.00 | |
| 10 | Nose | Soriano | Lisa Allpress | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | $16.30 | |
| 11 | ¾ | Addictive Habit | Andrew Calder | Lee Somervell | $76.50 | |
| 12 | ¾ | Weissmuller | Michael Walker | John Kiernan | $17.40 | |
| 13 | 1½ | Kidwelly | Michael Coleman | Michael Moroney & Chad Ormsby | $39.90 | |
| 14 | 2 | Deane Martin | Sam Spratt | Bruce Wallace | $22.50 | |
| 15 | Head | Corporal Lincoln | Kelly Myers | Lisa Latta | $74.20 | |
| 16 | 3 | Solar Eclipse | Rory Hutchings | Graeme & Debbie Rogerson | $117.30 | |
| 17 | 3½ | Dubai Shuffle | Jamie Mott | Gareth McRae & Andrew Clarken | $35.30 | |
| 18 | 6 | Celtic Chief | Jason Jago | Shaune Ritchie | $41.40 |
Further details of the winner, Habibi:
Early-season appearances in 2012-13 prior to running in the Derby.
Subsequent wins at Group 1 level by runners in the 2013 New Zealand Derby.