The Derby

Derby Stakes

Group 1 race
The Derby at Epsom, 1821 by Théodore Géricault (1791–1824)
Location	Epsom Downs Epsom, Surrey, England, UK
Inaugurated	1780
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor	Investec
Website	Epsom Downs
Race information
Distance	1m 4f 10y (2,423 m)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds excluding geldings
Weight	9 st 0 lb Allowances 3 lb for fillies
Purse	£1,325,000 (2012) 1st: £751,407.50

The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey over a distance of one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards (2,423 metres), on the first Saturday of June each year.

It is Britain's richest horse race, and the most prestigious of the five Classics. It is sometimes referred to as the "Blue Riband" of the turf. The race serves as the middle leg of the Triple Crown, preceded by the 2000 Guineas and followed by the St Leger, although the feat of winning all three is now rarely attempted. The name "Derby" has become synonymous with great races all over the world, and as such has been borrowed many times, notably by the Kentucky Derby. However, the Epsom Derby is the original. It is one of Britain's great national sporting events and has a large worldwide TV audience.

In Great Britain the name "Derby" is pronounced /ˈdɑːrbi/, while in the United States it is /ˈdɜːrbi/, a case of spelling pronunciation.