Derby - the main prize in racing and cross-country trials of horses at the racetrack . The name comes from the Epsom Derby , held in England in Epsom and received its name from Edward Smith Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby , who established these races in 1780 for horses of 3 years of purebred riding breed at a distance of 1.5 miles (2414 meters )
Race Derby
A racing derby is considered a classic and one of the main races in the life of any three-year-old horse. The largest race derby:
- Epsom Derby is held in the UK in Epsom , where it is one of the English Golden Crown prizes, that is, one of the three oldest classic prizes. The horse that won the "English Triple Crown" or "Triple Crown" is called "thrice crowned", in the Epsom Derby - the most important of the three prizes. Today, up to 20 of the best horses from not only England, but also from other countries take part in the Epsom Derby. Most times - nine - the Epsom Derby was won by the legendary English jockey, Sir Lester Pigott . He is also the youngest winner of the Epsom Derby. Epsom Derby - a national event for England, gathering in the stands over 400 thousand people.
- Kentucky Derby is held at the Churchill Downs Racecourse in Louisville , Kentucky, USA. This is also one of the main races of the country, albeit not with the highest prize pool (only the Breeders Cap prize is more expensive than the Kentucky Derby in the USA). Like the Epsom Derby in England, the Kentucky Derby is one of the three races of the American Triple Crown.
In Russia, race derby are held at all hippodromes where race horses are tested. Purebred horses, Arabian horses and Akhal-Teke horses have their Derby. If the main Derby of the country for the Arab and Akhal-Teke breed is held at the Pyatigorsk Hippodrome, then for purebred horses, with the exception of 1992-1999, the "Great All-Russian Prize for Derby" is held at the Moscow Hippodrome.
Running Derby
When the trotters and amblers ’ races became as popular as the races, it was also decided for them to establish a Derby prize. Running Derby is also one of the most important prizes in the life of a trotter or pacer. However, the distance and age of the horses participating in the running derby is different in different countries. In the U.S. and Canada, trotters and amblers ripen early and get their best shape as early as 3 years old. Therefore, there Derby is held for three-year-olds and they run a short distance of 1609 m (1 mile). The largest cross country Derby in the United States is the International Lobster Derby, which takes place at the Lexington Racecourse. Any trotter of the world can take part in this Derby. In Europe, the largest derby trotter is considered the European Derby, which is held every year at different hippodromes of the member countries of the European Trotter Association at a distance of 2100 m. Only a trotter born in Europe can take part in the European Derby. European trotters, of which the late- breeding French trotters are dominant, participate in Derby at the age of 4 years, but the registration of horses for participation in the European Derby begins even when the future participants are 1.5 years old. In Russia, the trotting Derby is the top prize of the season at every running racetrack. The best four-year-old trotters born in Russia take part in it at a distance of 1600 meters. The largest running derby in our country is called the Great All-Russian Prize and is held at the Moscow Hippodrome. The Derby record in Russia belongs to the bay standardbred stallion born in the Kuban SLC Sorrento (Repriz - Seal 1985) - 2 min. 00.1 sec Outstanding agility in Derby was also shown by the second-best trotter after Sorrento, also a standard-bred breed, Rangout (Gallant Pro - Rhetoric 1995) - 2 min. 00.5 s. There is in our country the main prize for four-year-old Oryol trotters - the Bars prize , which is unofficially called the Oryol Derby.
Literature
- Derby, horse racing // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 tons (82 tons and 4 extra). - SPb. , 1890-1907.