See also: Derby (disambiguation). A derby is a type of horse race named after the Derby Stakes run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in England. That was in turn named after Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, who inaugurated the race in 1780. Perhaps the best-known example after the original is the Kentucky Derby in the United States.
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.
| Name | Place | Distance | Restrictions | First race | Day | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Derby | Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA[1] | NaNmiles[2] | 1884[3] | ||||
| Australian Derby (also known as AJC Derby) | Randwick Racecourse, Sydney | 2400m (7,900feet) | 3 yr olds | 1861 | Late March or early April | ||
| Bangalore Derby[4] | Bangalore Turf Club | 2,000 metres | 4 yr olds & up | Mid July | |||
| Danish Derby (Bet25 Derby, The Macallan Derby) | Klampenborg Galopbane | 2400 metres | 3 yr olds | 1910 | 1st Saturday in August | ||
| Epsom Derby (also known as The Derby, Derby Stakes and the English Derby) | Epsom Downs Racecourse, England | 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards (1miles) | 3 yr olds colts and fillies | 1780 | 1st Saturday in June[5] | ||
| French Derby (more often known as Prix du Jockey Club) | Chantilly Racecourse | 2100m (6,900feet) | 3 yr olds colts and fillies | 1836 | Early June | ||
| German Derby (Deutsches Derby) | Horner Rennbahn, Hamburg | 2400m (7,900feet) | 3 yr olds colts and fillies | 1869 | Early July | ||
| Hong Kong Derby | 2,000 metres | 4 yr olds | 1873 | mid March | |||
| Hungarian Derby (Magyar Derby) | 2,400 metres | 3 yr olds | 1921 | Early July | |||
| Italian Derby (Derby Italiano) | Capannelle Racecourse | 2200 | 1884 | ||||
| Indian Derby | Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | 2,400 metres | 4 yr olds | 1943 | 1st Sunday in Feb. | ||
| NaNmiles | 3 yr olds | 1866 | Last Sunday in June[6] | ||||
| NaNmiles | 3 yr olds | 1875 | 1st Saturday in May | ||||
| New Zealand Derby | Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland | 2400comma=offNaNcomma=off | 3yr olds | 1860 | 1st Saturday in March | ||
| Queensland Derby | Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane | 2400comma=offNaNcomma=off | 3yr olds | 1868 | June | ||
| Singapore Derby | Kranji Racecourse | 1,800 metres | 4 yr olds | 1880 | Mid July | Final one to be run in 2024 | |
| Swedish Trotting Derby (Svenskt Travderby) | Jägersro Racetrack, Malmö | 26402NaN2 | 4yr olds | 1928 | 1st Sunday in September | ||
| Tokyo Yushun Japanese Derby | Tokyo Racecourse | 2,400 metres | 3 yr olds colts and fillies | 1932 | late May or Early June | Currently the richest Derby. | |
| Victoria Derby | Flemington Racecourse | 2,500 metres | 3 yr olds | 1855 | |||
| WATC Derby | Ascot Racecourse, Perth | 2,400 metres | 3yr olds | 1888 | New Years Day or nearby Saturday | ||
| Notes: | |||||||