New York Derby

The New York Derby is the second leg of the "Big Apple Triple," a grouping of three races in New York state for New York breds. A horse who wins all three of the Big Apple Triple wins the purse total of $400,000 plus a $250,000 bonus. The first leg is the Mike Lee Handicap run at Belmont Park, and the third leg is the Albany Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The series began in 1999.

The New York Derby is held at the Finger Lakes Racetrack and is open to three-year-olds of either gender running at a mile and one/sixteenth on the dirt. It offers a purse of $150,000. Although it is not restricted to registered New York breds, due to the racing conditions, it still not an open race.

This race was called the New York Breeders' Derby from 1969 to 1971, the New York Derby Handicap in 1974, and the New York Derby from 1977 to date.

Julie Krone won the Derby on Copper Mound in 1994.

In 2008, Tin Cup Chalice won the first Big Apple Triple by taking the Albany Stakes, the New York Derby, and the Mike Lee Handicap. In the Albany Stakes, Tin Cup Chalice went up against Big Truck, 18th in that year's Kentucky Derby, and Icabad Crane, 3rd in the Preakness Stakes.

In 1994, Copper Mount's time is both a stakes and track record for one mile and one-eighth.

In 1987, Embrace's Sybling, and in 2007, Chief's Lake, both won the New York Derby after the horse ahead of them was disqualified.

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