The Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby is an American

thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

run annually during the first week of September at

Del Mar Racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is an event venue in Del Mar, California. It hosts the annual San Diego County Fair. The venue sits on a property along the Pacific Ocean coastline. It includes the Del Mar Racetrack, built in 1936 by the Del Mar Thoroug ...

Del Mar, California Del Mar (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach city in San Diego County, California, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The population was 3,954 ...

. A

Grade II In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

race open to three-year-old horses, it is contested on

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

over a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s). Inaugurated in 1945 as the Quigley Memorial Handicap at a distance of miles on dirt, it was renamed in 1948, modified to its present distance in 1950, and moved to turf in 1970. It was raced in two divisions in 1963, in 1970, and again in 2013. In 2013, 24 sophomores passed the entry box so the race had to be split into two divisions. In 1968 there was a

dead heat A dead heat is a rare situation in various racing sports in which the performances of competitors are judged to be so close that no difference between them can be resolved. The result is declared a tie and the competitors are awarded a joint ra ...

for the win. In 2021, the race was presented for the first time by Caesars Sportsbook.

Records

Speed record: (on turf at miles) * 1:45.85 – Willow O Wisp (2005) Most wins by an owner: * 3 –

Howard B. Keck Howard Brighton Keck (September 20, 1913 – December 14, 1996) was an American businessman. He was also a Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse owner and breeder, and the owner of an auto racing team that twice won the Indianapolis 500. Early ...

(1960, 1962, 1966) * 3 – (Glen Hill Farm) (1973, 1979, 2011) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 5 – Laffit Pincay Jr. (1979, 1980, 1982, 1990, 1994) * 5 –

Eddie Delahoussaye Edward J. Delahoussaye (born September 21, 1951) is a retired Americans, American Thoroughbred horse race, Thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana. He began his career in 1968 and ten years later became the top American jockey with 384 win ...

(1984, 1986, 1987, 1992, 2000) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 – Julio C. Canani (1988, 1998, 1999, 2004)

Winners

* † In 1990, Tight Spot finished first, but was disqualified and set back to tenth place. That ruling was contested and later was overturned by the California Horse Racing Board and his victory reinstated.

References

The 2009 Del Mar Derby at the NTRA
{{reflist Del Mar Racetrack Horse races in California Graded stakes races in the United States Flat horse races for three-year-olds Turf races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 1945 1945 establishments in California