173 Fun Facts About Derby

The Derby horse race got its name from a coin toss between its founder and which racing figure?

Legend says a coin toss settled the name, though Bunbury was Steward of the Jockey Club and may simply have deferred to his host.

Which horse won the inaugural running of the Epsom Derby in 1780?

Diomed, owned by Sir Charles Bunbury, was the first horse to cross the finish line and win the historic Epsom Derby in its debut year, 1780.

What is the approximate distance of the Epsom Derby?

The exact length was only pinned down in 1991: one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards.

Which railway company made Derby its engineering headquarters after its 1844 formation?

The Midland Railway, formed in 1844 by merging three lines that met at Derby, kept its headquarters and locomotive works in the town for the rest of the century.

What type of nut is the traditional ingredient in a Kentucky "Derby Pie"?

Walnuts are the classic Derby pie nut: the trademarked Louisville recipe pairs chopped walnuts with chocolate chips in a rich custard-style filling baked in a pastry shell.

What distinguishes a Derby shoe from an Oxford?

Derby shoes are characterized by their open lacing system, where the eyelet tabs are stitched on top of the vamp, providing a more comfortable fit, especially for wider feet.

By what other name is a 'Derby hat' commonly known in the United Kingdom?

In the United Kingdom, the hat known as a Derby in the United States is more commonly referred to as a bowler hat, originally designed in 1849.

In sports, what does the term 'derby' typically refer to?

A derby is a match between two nearby rival teams, such as Everton against Liverpool; the closer the clubs sit on the map, the fiercer the fixture tends to be.

In what year was the first Kentucky Derby held?

The first Kentucky Derby was run on 17 May 1875 at the Louisville Jockey Club course later named Churchill Downs, before a crowd of about 10,000.

Who rode Secretariat to victory in the 1973 Kentucky Derby?

Ron Turcotte rode Secretariat in all three 1973 Triple Crown races; the Canadian jockey had also won the 1972 Kentucky Derby on Riva Ridge.

Which East Midlands football club is nicknamed 'The Rams'?

The ram mascot nods to the First Regiment of Derby Militia and the regimental song that came with it.

What type of traditional English headwear is often associated with the Epsom Derby, particularly for men?

While women's fashion at the Epsom Derby is known for elaborate hats, men traditionally wear morning dress which includes a top hat.

Which river flows through the city of Derby?

Derby is situated along the River Derwent, which has played a significant role in the city's industrial history.

Epsom Downs racecourse, home of the Derby, lies in which English county?

Epsom Downs, in Surrey, has staged the Derby since 1780; the course sits on the North Downs about 15 miles south of central London.

On the first Saturday of which month is the Epsom Derby normally run?

June: since the race moved from a Wednesday to a Saturday in 1995 it has normally been run on the first Saturday of June, the exception being the July running of 2020.

The Kentucky Derby has been run over what distance since 1896?

1¼ miles: for its first two decades the race matched the English original's mile and a half, then lost a quarter of a mile and never got it back.

Derby was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1977 to mark which royal anniversary?

Her Silver Jubilee, 25 years on the throne, was marked on 7 June 1977 by making Derby a city.

The Epsom Derby is the most prestigious of how many English flat-racing Classics?

Five: the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, the Oaks, the Derby and the St Leger. The Derby is also Britain's joint richest flat race.

The Derby Roundhouse of 1839 was built for which company?

The North Midland Railway built the Roundhouse in 1839 as an engine shed at its Derby works; the building survives as part of Derby College's campus.

In American English, what other name is often given to the derby shoe?

Strictly the two differ, since the blucher has a one-piece quarter-vamp, but shops use the names interchangeably.

Which jockey, nicknamed 'The Long Fellow' for his height, won a record nine Epsom Derbys?

Lester Piggott won the Derby nine times, from Never Say Die in 1954 to Teenoso in 1983, a record for the race, among his 4,493 career wins in Britain.

Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, sits on the edge of which city?

Louisville's track opened in 1875 as the Louisville Jockey Club grounds on the south side of the city, and the Kentucky Derby has been run there every year since.

What is the traditional beverage associated with the Kentucky Derby?

The Mint Julep, a cocktail made with bourbon, mint, sugar, and water, is the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby.

Derby's lead in which industry earns it the tag 'birthplace of the Industrial Revolution'?

Textiles: John Lombe's 1717 Silk Mill in Derby was probably the world's first fully mechanised factory, and the cotton mills of the Derwent Valley followed.

Which Kentucky Derby winner did NOT complete the US Triple Crown?

Spectacular Bid won the 1979 Derby and Preakness but finished third in the Belmont after stepping on a safety pin in his stall that morning.

What was the Derby hat originally designed to do when it was first made in 1849?

It was protection for gamekeepers on Edward Coke's Holkham estate: a hard, low, close-fitting crown so that low branches knocked the hat about rather than knocking the rider off his horse.

The city of Derby is part of which UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Derby is an integral part of the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site, which recognizes the area's universal importance as the birthplace of the factory system.

Which material is a traditional Derby hat made from?

A traditional Derby hat, or bowler hat, is characterized by its hard felt construction and rounded crown.

In 1884, the Rams began life as an offshoot of which sporting body?

Derbyshire County Cricket Club member William Morley founded the football club in 1884 to give players and supporters a winter interest and the cricket club extra revenue.

Ivy Leaguers' pale suede derbies gave rise to which nickname for prestigious law offices?

White-shoe firms took their name from the pale suede derbies, often on red rubber soles, that Ivy League students wore before moving on to elite New York and Boston law practices.

The winner of the Kentucky Derby is draped in a blanket of which flower?

The nickname 'The Run for the Roses' comes straight from that blanket.

Who gave Derby the 1840 grounds often described as Britain's first public park?

Joseph Strutt, a mill-owning philanthropist and former mayor, gave Derby the Arboretum in 1840 and paid for its layout so townspeople could use it free on set days each week.

The Epsom Derby is exclusively open to horses of what age?

The Epsom Derby Stakes is a Group 1 flat race specifically for three-year-old colts and fillies.

Alongside Rolls-Royce, which other major transport manufacturer had significant operations in Derby, England?

Derby has a rich history in engineering, with Rolls-Royce being prominent, and was also home to significant operations of the Canadian-based company Bombardier Inc. in rail manufacturing.

In which California town did Cub Scouts race the first miniature wooden cars in 1953?

Manhattan Beach's Cub Scout Pack 280C held the race on 15 May 1953 at its Scout House, and the idea spread through Scouting within a year.

The derby shoe first became popular as a sporting and hunting boot in which decade?

The 1850s derby was strictly country wear; it only became acceptable in town around the turn of the twentieth century.

At which bend do Derby runners turn into Epsom's home straight?

Tattenham Corner is the sharp, downhill left-hand bend at the top of Epsom's home straight, just under four furlongs from the winning post.

Which promoter created the Transcontinental Roller Derby in the mid-1930s?

Leo Seltzer staged the first Transcontinental Roller Derby at the Chicago Coliseum in August 1935, a month-long simulated road race for two-person skating teams that evolved into a contact sport.

Which horse won the Kentucky Derby in 2015, ending a 37-year drought for the Triple Crown?

American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby in 2015 and went on to claim the Triple Crown, becoming the first horse to do so since Affirmed in 1978.

Apart from horse racing, the term 'Derby' names which annual baseball competition?

The Home Run Derby is the slugging contest staged during MLB's All-Star festivities each July, with hitters facing batting-practice pitching and only home runs counting.

Which horse won the very first running of the Kentucky Derby?

Aristides won the very first Kentucky Derby although owner H. Price McGrath had entered him mainly to set the pace for stablemate Chesapeake, who finished well back.

The name 'derby pie' is a registered trademark of which company?

Kern's Kitchen of Louisville registered 'Derby-Pie' as a trademark in 1968 and has sued rival bakers often enough that they sell the same thing as 'Pegasus pie' or 'May Day pie'.

The derby hat became popular with which group in the American West during the 19th century?

Cowboys and railroad workers prized a hat that stayed put in a strong wind, whether on horseback or leaning out of a speeding train.

Which English monarch's horse, Minoru, won the Epsom Derby in 1909?

King Edward VII, who had already won the Derby as Prince of Wales with Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, became the first reigning monarch to win it when Minoru scored in 1909.

Derby, Leicester, Lincoln and Stamford were Danelaw boroughs with which other town?

Nottingham: the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw were Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham and Stamford, the fortified Danish settlements of the East Midlands in the 9th and 10th centuries.

What is the common term for a competition in which Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts race miniature wooden cars?

The Pinewood Derby is a popular Cub Scout racing event where participants build and race small wooden cars.

How much weight do colts and geldings carry in the Kentucky Derby?

Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds in the Kentucky Derby, the standard Triple Crown impost, while fillies get a five-pound allowance at 121.

On which day of the week is the Kentucky Derby traditionally run?

The Kentucky Derby is run on the first Saturday in May; even the 1945 and 2020 runnings, postponed by war and pandemic, were held on Saturdays.

The Louisville Jockey Club founder was the grandson of which famous 1804 expedition explorer?

Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, toured Epsom and Longchamp in 1872–73 before organising the Louisville Jockey Club.

Which brothers provided the land that gave the Louisville track its name?

John and Henry Churchill, the founder's uncles, leased him the land for the track; the name Churchill Downs became official only in 1937.

How many horses contested the first Kentucky Derby in 1875?

About 10,000 spectators watched Aristides win under Oliver Lewis.

Which trainer prepared Aristides for his Kentucky Derby victory?

Ansel Williamson, a formerly enslaved Kentucky horseman, trained Aristides for H. Price McGrath and was elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in 1998.

Which Black jockey won the Kentucky Derby in both 1901 and 1902?

Jimmy Winkfield won back-to-back Derbies on His Eminence in 1901 and Alan-a-Dale in 1902, then left for a riding career in Russia and France.

Which jockey won the 1896 and 1898 Derbies using shortened stirrups he developed?

Willie Simms won on Ben Brush in 1896 and Plaudit in 1898; his short-stirrup crouch, shown off in England in 1895, was adopted by jockeys everywhere.

Which sportswriter brought the term 'Triple Crown' into American usage in 1930?

Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form popularised 'Triple Crown' while covering Gallant Fox's 1930 sweep, eleven years after Sir Barton had first won all three races.

Since what year has the Kentucky Derby always been run before the Preakness?

Since 1931 the Derby has always preceded the Preakness; before that the Preakness had been run first eleven times, and twice, in 1917 and 1922, on the same day.

Which Louisville station carried the first live radio broadcast of the Derby in 1925?

WHAS, Louisville's first radio station, carried the Derby live on 16 May 1925, with WGN in Chicago also relaying it; WAVE-TV brought the first television coverage in 1949.

Which 1968 winner was the first Derby victor to be disqualified?

Dancer's Image finished first in 1968 but a urine test found the painkiller phenylbutazone, and runner-up Forward Pass was awarded the win.

Which horse did Diane Crump ride in 1970 as the first female Derby jockey?

Diane Crump rode Fathom to 15th place in 1970; a year earlier she had needed a police escort to ride at Hialeah, the first woman in a US pari-mutuel race.

Whose 1964 record did Secretariat break with his 1:59.4 in 1973?

Northern Dancer's 2:00 flat from 1964 stood until Secretariat, running each quarter faster than the last, clocked 1:59 2/5 in 1973.

Which 2001 winner ran the Derby's third sub-two-minute time?

Monarchos clocked 1:59.97 in 2001, the first year the Derby was timed in hundredths; only Secretariat's 1:59.4 and runner-up Sham's 1:59.8, both from 1973, were faster.

In what year did the Kentucky Derby purse first reach $1 million?

The 1996 Derby was the first with a $1 million guaranteed purse, a figure that doubled to $2 million in 2005.

What was the Kentucky Derby purse raised to in January 2024?

It had reached $3 million in 2019.

How many stalls did the new single starting gate introduced in 2020 have?

The 20-stall gate introduced in 2020 replaced a 14-stall main gate plus a six-stall auxiliary, a gap that had caused congestion at the start.

Which monarch attended the Kentucky Derby in 2007?

Queen Elizabeth II watched the 2007 Derby from the Churchill Downs grandstand with Prince Philip during her state visit to the United States that May.

Which fast-food company became presenting sponsor of the Derby in 2006?

Yum! Brands, the Louisville-based owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, presented the Derby from 2006 until Woodford Reserve took over in 2018.

Which Swiss watchmaker became the Kentucky Derby's official timekeeper in 2011?

Longines took on the role of official timekeeper of the Kentucky Derby in 2011, and the fillies' Kentucky Oaks the day before carries its name as title sponsor.

What thick meat-and-vegetable stew is a Derby Day staple?

Burgoo, a thick stew of meats and vegetables simmered for hours, is a Kentucky tradition served by the bowl at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

What are the expensive box seats at the Derby nicknamed?

Millionaire's Row is the nickname for the pricey boxes and dining rooms on Churchill Downs' upper levels, where owners and celebrities watch the race.

Which bugler took over playing the Call to the Post at the Kentucky Derby in 1995?

Steve Buttleman became Churchill Downs' official bugler in 1995, sounding the Call to the Post in a red coat before every race on Derby Day.

How many roses make up the Kentucky Derby winner's garland?

The garland is sewn from 554 red roses on green satin; socialite E. Berry Wall's 1883 rose-themed party is thought to have inspired the tradition.

Which singer wrote 'Run for the Roses' for the 1980 Kentucky Derby?

Dan Fogelberg wrote 'Run for the Roses' for the 1980 Derby and put it on his 1981 album The Innocent Age; columnist Bill Corum had coined the nickname in 1925.

What traditional command from the Paddock Judge sends Kentucky Derby jockeys onto their mounts before the race?

'Riders Up!' has been recited by a celebrity since 2012, a job once left to the Paddock Judge.

Which airshow and fireworks display opens the Kentucky Derby Festival?

Thunder Over Louisville, an afternoon airshow followed by fireworks over the Ohio River, kicks off the Kentucky Derby Festival about two weeks before the race.

Which horse set the 1.5-mile Derby record of 2:34.5 in 1889?

Spokane, a Montana-bred colt, beat the favourite Proctor Knott by a nose in 1889 in 2:34.5, a mark that stood for the mile-and-a-half Derby until the distance was cut.

Which three horses won the Kentucky Derby without racing as two-year-olds?

Apollo did it in 1882, Justify in 2018 and Mage in 2023.

Which jockey won three Derbies in a four-year span, 2007 to 2010?

Calvin Borel won on Street Sense in 2007, Mine That Bird in 2009 and Super Saver in 2010, the only jockey to take three Derbies in four years.

Which trainer prepared Seattle Slew for his 1977 Kentucky Derby win?

Billy Turner trained Seattle Slew, who won the 1977 Derby on the way to an unbeaten Triple Crown; the owners replaced Turner with Doug Peterson later that year.

What is winning Louisville's fillies' race and colts' race in the same year called?

The Oaks/Derby Double means winning the Kentucky Oaks on the Friday and the Kentucky Derby the next day with different horses, a rare feat for a jockey, trainer or owner.

Which sire line produced four of the seven Derby winners up to Sovereignty in 2025?

Into Mischief sired Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021) and Sovereignty (2025), and his son Goldencents sired Mystik Dan (2024): four of the seven winners from 2019 to 2025.

What payout did a $2 bet on Donerail return in 1913?

Donerail went off at 91-1 in 1913 and a $2 win ticket paid $184.90, a record for the race that Rich Strike's 80-1 in 2022 did not quite reach.

How much notice did Rich Strike's owner get that his horse was in the 2022 Derby?

Owner Rick Dawson learned with about 30 seconds to spare before the Friday scratch deadline that Ethereal Road was out, letting Rich Strike in; he won at 80-1.

By how many lengths did Mine That Bird win the 2009 Derby, the biggest margin since 1946?

At 50-1 he was the third-biggest upset in Derby history.

How many Derby wins had Bob Baffert by the end of 2025, tying Ben Jones's record?

Six: Silver Charm, Real Quiet, War Emblem, American Pharoah, Justify and Authentic, matching the six that Ben Jones trained between Lawrin in 1938 and Hill Gail in 1952.

What were Medina Spirit's post-time odds when he crossed the line first in 2021?

Medina Spirit went off at 12-1 and crossed the line first in 2021, but a positive test for betamethasone led to his disqualification and Mandaloun's elevation.

How many races did Bill Shoemaker win, a world record at his retirement?

Bill Shoemaker retired in 1990 with 8,833 wins, then a world record, among them four Kentucky Derbies and five Belmont Stakes.

Isaac Murphy claimed what unmatched career winning percentage?

Isaac Murphy claimed 628 wins from 1,412 mounts, a 44% strike rate unmatched since; he won three Kentucky Derbies and was the first jockey elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955.

How many fillies have won the Kentucky Derby?

Regret in 1915, Genuine Risk in 1980 and Winning Colors in 1988.

By how many lengths did Secretariat win the 1973 Belmont Stakes?

Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont by 31 lengths in 2:24 for the mile and a half, completing the ninth Triple Crown and the first since Citation in 1948.

Which horse was placed first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby after Maximum Security's disqualification?

Country House, a 65-1 shot, was moved up to first in 2019 after stewards disqualified Maximum Security for interference in the final turn, the first Derby winner thrown out for an in-race foul.

Which Maryland governor named the Preakness Stakes after a colt?

Governor Oden Bowie, who had proposed the Dinner Party Stakes, named the new race in 1873 after Preakness, the colt that won that first Pimlico race in 1870.

Which flowers are draped on the Preakness winner?

The Preakness winner is draped with a blanket of Black-eyed Susans, Maryland's state flower, and the owner receives a replica of the Woodlawn Vase.

What is the Belmont Stakes nicknamed, after its flowers?

The Belmont Stakes is nicknamed 'The Run for the Carnations' for the winner's blanket of white carnations; it is also called the Test of the Champion.

At which Bronx track was the first Belmont Stakes held?

Jerome Park, built by Leonard Jerome in 1866 with August Belmont Sr.'s backing, staged the first Belmont Stakes in 1867; Morris Park took over in 1890.

What garland does the Kentucky Oaks winner receive?

Hence its nickname, 'Lilies for the Fillies'.

How many times had Louisville's famous track hosted the Breeders' Cup by the end of 2025?

Nine: Churchill Downs staged the Breeders' Cup in 1988, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2018, the last of them featuring Enable's Turf win.

Which 1914 sternwheeler has competed in the Great Steamboat Race since its 1963 founding?

The Belle of Louisville, built in 1914 as the Idlewild, has raced on the Ohio since the first Great Steamboat Race in 1963, originally against the Delta Queen, for a trophy of gilded elk antlers.

Which brand's cocktail was long the 'official mint julep of the Kentucky Derby'?

Early Times supplied the Derby's official mint julep for decades until sister brand Old Forester took over in 2015; oddly, the US version is a Kentucky whisky, not bourbon, being aged in used barrels.

Which novel likely inspired Stephen Foster's 'My Old Kentucky Home'?

A sketchbook draft was titled 'Poor Uncle Tom, Good-Night!'

Which jockey rode Shergar to his ten-length Derby win in 1981?

Walter Swinburn, then 19, rode Shergar to a record ten-length Derby win in 1981; a suspension kept him off the colt in the Irish Derby, where Lester Piggott deputised.

The Epsom Derby is the middle leg of which trio?

The British Triple Crown is the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Derby at Epsom and the St Leger at Doncaster, a sweep Nijinsky achieved in 1970.

Which 7th Earl of Derby founded the 'Manx Derby' on the Isle of Man?

James Stanley, later 7th Earl of Derby, took charge of the Isle of Man in 1627 and founded the Manx Derby, a race run on the island from that year, a century and a half before Epsom's.

The Derby was conceived at a party celebrating the first running of which fillies' race in 1779?

The 12th Earl of Derby hosted, with Sir Charles Bunbury among the guests.

Which horse gave Lord Derby his first win in his own race, in 1787?

Sir Peter Teazle, named after a character in Sheridan's The School for Scandal, won in 1787 for his breeder the 12th Earl of Derby, founder of the race.

In which year was the Derby run as late as 31 July?

The 1917 'New Derby', run at Newmarket on Tuesday 31 July because of the war, was won by Gay Crusader, who went on to complete the Triple Crown.

Where was the wartime 'New Derby' run in 1915-18 and 1940-45?

The 'New Derby' was run at Newmarket in both world wars, 1915–18 and 1940–45, because Epsom Downs was given over to the war effort; in every other year the race has been at Epsom.

Which 1844 winner was disqualified when he turned out to be a four-year-old ringer?

Running Rein 'won' in 1844 but was proved to be a four-year-old named Maccabeus entered as part of a betting coup; the race went to runner-up Orlando.

In 1931 the Derby became the first what?

John Logie Baird transmitted the 1931 Derby live from Epsom, making it the first outdoor sporting event to be televised; he repeated the feat for a London cinema audience in 1932.

Which artist painted the crowded 1858 canvas The Derby Day?

William Powell Frith's The Derby Day, exhibited in 1858 and held by Tate Britain, needed a rail to hold back crowds at the Royal Academy; the racing is pushed to the margins behind the fairground.

Which sponsor backed the Derby from 2009 to 2020?

Investec sponsored the Derby from 2009 to 2020, following Ever Ready (1984–94) and Vodafone (1995–2008); Cazoo took over in 2021 and Betfred in 2023.

Which BBC series set its series 2 finale at the Derby?

Peaky Blinders ended its second series with Tommy Shelby's plot to assassinate a field marshal at the 1922 Epsom Derby.

Which 1937 film, Britain's first Technicolor feature, climaxes at the Derby?

Wings of the Morning (1937), the first British feature shot in Technicolor, stars Henry Fonda and Annabella and ends with a Derby run at Epsom.

What was the name of the King's horse that struck Emily Davison in 1913?

Anmer, King George V's colt ridden by Herbert Jones, was brought down when Davison stepped out in front of him at about 35 mph; both horse and jockey recovered.

Which 100-1 outsider was awarded the 1913 Derby after Craganour's disqualification?

Aboyeur, a 100-1 outsider, was awarded the 1913 Derby after the stewards disqualified first-past-the-post Craganour for bumping; Louvois was placed second.

What crowd capacity does Epsom Downs have, including the free public Downs?

Epsom Downs can hold about 130,000 on Derby Day because, beyond the grandstands, the Downs themselves are open common land where spectators watch for free.

Which is the only English Classic older than the Oaks?

The St Leger, first run at Doncaster in 1776, is the oldest Classic; the Oaks followed in 1779, the Derby in 1780 and the two Guineas in 1809 and 1814.

Which Irish course hosts the Irish Derby?

The Curragh in County Kildare has staged the Irish Derby since its first running in 1866, usually about four weeks after Epsom.

Over what distance is the French Derby, the Prix du Jockey Club, run at Chantilly?

The Prix du Jockey Club has been run over 2,100 metres at Chantilly since 2005, when it was cut from 2,400; founded in 1836, it was long restricted to French-bred horses.

Where is the German Derby run each July?

The Deutsches Derby has been run at Hamburg-Horn since 1869 over 2,400 metres, the highlight of the course's July meeting.

Nijinsky in 1970 was the first horse in how many years to win the English Triple Crown?

Thirty-five: Bahram's 1935 Triple Crown was the last before Nijinsky swept the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger in 1970 under Lester Piggott.

What ransom did Shergar's thieves demand in 1983?

A former IRA supergrass later said the group took the horse; it was never paid.

From which County Kildare farm was Shergar stolen?

Ballymany Stud, the Aga Khan's farm near the Curragh, was where armed men took Shergar on 8 February 1983; he was never seen again.

In 2009 Sea the Stars won the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and which other Group 1?

Sea the Stars won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October 2009, capping a season that also took in the 2000 Guineas, the Derby, the Eclipse and the Juddmonte International.

From 2010 to 2020, which Derby winner was leading sire in Britain and Ireland every year?

Galileo, who won the 2001 Derby, Irish Derby and King George, was champion sire in Britain and Ireland twelve times, every year from 2010 to 2020 plus 2008.

Aidan O'Brien became the trainer at which stables in 1996?

Ballydoyle, the County Tipperary yard made famous by Vincent O'Brien, became Aidan O'Brien's base in 1996 when John Magnier and the Coolmore partners installed him there.

What was the Roman name for the settlement at Derby?

Derventio was the Roman fort and settlement at Little Chester, on the east bank of the Derwent a mile north of the modern city centre, and took its name from the river.

Which Jacobite leader reached Derby on 4 December 1745 on his march toward London?

Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, turned back from Derby on 6 December 1745 after his council refused to go on; the town was the southernmost point of the rising.

Which carmaker's UK headquarters lies at Burnaston, southwest of Derby?

Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK has built cars at Burnaston since 1992, the Japanese firm's first European car plant, while Rolls-Royce makes aero engines in the city itself.

Whose secrets did John Lombe reputedly steal to build Derby's 1717 silk mill?

He is alleged to have been poisoned by the Piedmontese in revenge in 1722.

Derby's Silk Mill reopened in 2021 under what new name?

The Museum of Making opened in the Silk Mill in May 2021 after a £17 million redevelopment, telling Derby's manufacturing story from Lombe to Rolls-Royce.

In what year did All Saints' church in Derby become a cathedral?

All Saints' became Derby Cathedral in 1927 when the diocese of Derby was created; its 16th-century tower fronts a Georgian body rebuilt by James Gibbs in 1725.

Who designed Derby Arboretum, opened in 1840?

John Claudius Loudon, the Scottish horticulturist, laid out the Arboretum with over a thousand labelled trees and shrubs on land given by a local mill-owner; it opened in September 1840.

In which year did George III let Derby's porcelain factory add a crown to its mark?

George III granted the Derby factory the right to use a crown in its backstamp in 1773, making it Crown Derby; Queen Victoria added 'Royal' in 1890.

Joseph Wright of Derby was noted for which dramatic painting technique?

Tenebrism, the stark spotlighting of figures against deep shadow, gives Wright's candlelit scenes such as An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump their drama.

The Rams were founder members of the Football League in which year?

Derby County were among the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888, alongside Aston Villa, Preston North End and others, finishing tenth in the first season.

Why was the Rams' old home called the Baseball Ground?

The club moved there in 1895 and stayed 102 years before Pride Park.

Why was Derby County's first league match at Pride Park abandoned in August 1997?

Floodlight failure ended Derby's first league game at Pride Park, against Wimbledon in August 1997, after 56 minutes, and the result was voided.

Which club did Brian Clough lead to two European Cups after managing Derby?

Brian Clough took Nottingham Forest to the European Cup in 1979 and 1980, after winning the league with both Derby (1972) and Forest (1978).

The hollow boab tree outside Derby, Western Australia, was once used as what?

The Boab Prison Tree south of Derby, a hollow boab centuries old, was used in the 1890s as a prison lock-up for Aboriginal captives being marched into town.

Derby, Kansas, is the largest suburb of which city?

Derby lies just south of Wichita in Sedgwick County and, with 25,625 residents at the 2020 census, is the largest of Wichita's suburbs.

What notable building straddles the border in Derby Line, Vermont?

The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, opened in 1904, was deliberately built across the Canada–US line: the stage is in Stanstead, Quebec, and most of the seats in Derby Line, Vermont.

Derby, Connecticut, holds what distinction among the state's cities?

Derby is the smallest city in Connecticut by area, covering about 5.3 square miles where the Naugatuck meets the Housatonic.

What creates the marbled colour in Derbyshire's herb-flavoured cheese?

Sage Derby's green marbling comes from sage leaves layered into the curd or from curd coloured green, traditionally with spinach juice, with sage extract added for flavour.

Which London hatters commissioned the first bowler hat in 1849?

Lock & Co. of St James's Street took Edward Coke's order for a hard, low-crowned hat in 1849 and had Thomas and William Bowler make it; Americans call it a derby.

Which South American country's Quechua and Aymara women adopted the bowler in the 1920s?

In Bolivia, British railway workers are said to have introduced the bowler, the bombín, in the 1920s, and Aymara and Quechua cholitas made it their own.

By what other name is the derby shoe also known?

Its open lacing contrasts with the Oxford's closed lacing.

What are derby shoes with buckskin uppers colloquially called?

'White bucks' were the Ivy League summer staple.

How many skaters does each roller derby team field during a jam?

One jammer wears a star on the helmet and four blockers try to stop the opposing jammer.

In roller derby, which blocker may take over as jammer during a jam?

The pivot, who wears a striped helmet cover, is the only blocker allowed to take over as jammer mid-jam by receiving the jammer's helmet cover.

Which sportswriter helped turn roller derby into a contact sport in the late 1930s?

Damon Runyon, watching a 1937 Miami bout, urged the promoter to keep the collisions in, and the banked-track marathon became a contact sport.

Who directed the 2009 roller derby film Whip It?

Drew Barrymore made her directing debut with Whip It (2009), adapted by Shauna Cross from her own novel Derby Girl, with Elliot Page as the skater Bliss Cavendar.

Which Long Island track is often credited as the 1958 birthplace of demolition derby?

Islip Speedway on Long Island staged what is often called the first demolition derby in 1958, after promoter Larry Mendelsohn noticed fans preferred wrecks to racing.

Who invented the pinewood derby in 1953?

Cubmaster Don Murphy devised the race for his son's pack in 1953 as a smaller, safer cousin of the soap box derby; his employer North American Aviation's Management Club sponsored the first event.

What is the usual maximum weight of a pinewood derby car?

Five ounces is the standard limit: the pine block, axles and wheels must weigh no more than 5 oz combined, and the car can be no wider than 2.75 inches.

Who founded the Soap Box Derby in 1934?

Myron Scott, a Dayton Daily News photographer, staged a boys' gravity race in Dayton in 1933 and launched the All-American Soap Box Derby the following year.

Which Ohio city hosts the All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship?

Akron has hosted the All-American Soap Box Derby since 1935, at the purpose-built Derby Downs hill track from 1936.

On which day of the week is the MLB Home Run Derby customarily held?

The Home Run Derby is held on the Monday of All-Star week, the night before the Tuesday All-Star Game.

Who set the single-round Home Run Derby record with 41 homers in 2023?

Alonso had set the previous first-round mark of 35 in 2021.

By 2023, which three players had won the Home Run Derby as non-All-Stars?

Yoenis Céspedes in 2013, Giancarlo Stanton in 2016 and Pete Alonso in 2021 each won the Derby in a year they were not selected as All-Stars.

Which two Glasgow clubs make up the Old Firm?

Celtic and Rangers have been called the Old Firm since the early 1900s, the name mocking two clubs that did good business from their meetings, and they dominate Scottish football.

When was the first official Merseyside derby played?

The first league Merseyside derby was at Goodison Park on 13 October 1894, Everton beating Liverpool 3–0 in front of about 44,000.

The North London derby rivalry began in 1913 when Arsenal moved from where?

Woolwich Arsenal left their Manor Ground in Plumstead, south-east London, for Highbury in 1913, landing four miles from Tottenham and igniting the North London derby.

Roughly how far apart are the Manchester derby grounds?

Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium stand roughly 4 miles apart on opposite sides of the city centre; the clubs first met in 1881 as Newton Heath and St Mark's.

The Derby della Madonnina is named after a statue atop which building?

The Madonnina, the gilded statue of the Virgin on the tallest spire of Milan Cathedral, gives the Inter–Milan derby its name.

The Revierderby takes its name from a German contraction meaning what?

'Revier' is short for Ruhrrevier, the Ruhr mining area, and the Revierderby usually means Borussia Dortmund against Schalke 04, clubs of two old coal-and-steel towns.

How far apart are the stadiums of Sunderland and Newcastle United?

The Stadium of Light and St James' Park are about 10 miles apart in a straight line; the Tyne–Wear derby was first played in 1883.

What office did the 12th Earl of Derby hold in the 1783 Fox-North coalition?

Lord Derby was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from April to December 1783 in the Fox–North coalition, and held the post again in 1806–07 in the Ministry of All the Talents.

The Japanese Derby, the Tokyo Yushun, is run over what distance at Tokyo Racecourse?

The Tokyo Yushun is run over 2,400 metres on turf at Tokyo Racecourse in late May, the second leg of Japan's Triple Crown after the Satsuki Sho.

Unusually, the Hong Kong Derby has been restricted since 1981 to horses of what age?

Held since 1873, it moved from Happy Valley to Sha Tin in 1979 and closes the Four-Year-Old Classic Series.

Which carmaker was the Soap Box Derby's generous national sponsor until dropping out in 1972?

Chevrolet's withdrawal after 1972, a 1973 cheating scandal and slumping enrolment sent the All-American Soap Box Derby into a tailspin it took years to recover from.

In what year were girls first admitted to the Soap Box Derby?

Girls were first allowed to compete in 1971, and Karren Stead of Pennsylvania became the first female All-American champion in 1975.

Which ABC programme televised the demolition derby championship from the mid-1960s to 1992?

ABC's Wide World of Sports made the demolition derby championship a late-summer staple, and in 1972 even had Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt and Bobby Unser smash new cars at the LA Coliseum.

In roller derby, how is the team's scoring skater, the jammer, identified?

The jammer wears a star on the helmet cover and scores a point for each opposing blocker lapped during a jam of up to two minutes.