Italian Derby
| Group 2 race | |
| Location |
Capannelle Racecourse Rome, Italy |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1884 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Website | Capannelle |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2,200 metres (1m 3f) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds excluding geldings |
| Weight | 58 kg Allowances 1½ kg for fillies |
| Purse |
€814,000 (2011) 1st: €314,500 |
The Derby Italiano is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Capannelle over a distance of 2,200 metres (about 1 mile and 3 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.
It is Italy's equivalent of The Derby, a famous race in England.
The event was established in 1884, and it was originally run in the district of Capannelle over 2,400 metres. It was initially called the Derby Reale, and most of the prize money for the inaugural running was donated by King Umberto I.
The race was transferred to its current venue in 1926. It was known as the Gran Premio del Re in the 1930s, and for a brief period it was titled the Gran Premio del Re Imperatore. It was renamed the Derby Italiano in 1946.
The present system of race grading was introduced in the early 1970s, and the Derby Italiano was initially classed at Group 1 level. It was opened to horses born and bred outside Italy in 1981.
The Derby Italiano was cut to 2,200 metres in 2008, and it was downgraded to Group 2 status in 2009. With a current prize fund of €814,000, it is the most valuable horse race in Italy.
Leading jockey (8 wins):
Leading trainer (21 wins):
Leading owner (20 wins): (includes part ownership)
a The 2016 winner Saent was later exported to Hong Kong and renamed Super Chic.
The 1916, 1917 and 1925 runnings took place at Parioli, and the 1918, 1944 and 1945 editions were held at Milan.
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