Teenoso third favourite for the Lingfield Derby Trial in May. He took the lead five furlongs from the finish and stayed on well to win by three lengths from Shearwalk. When Lester Piggott, who had won the race eight times previously, elected to ride Teenoso in the Derby, the colt was strongly supported in the betting and started 9/2 favourite in a field of twenty-one runners. Racing on the heaviest ground seen at Epsom for many years, Teenoso was among the leaders from the start. Piggott sent the colt into the lead early in the straight and he was never in
Empery Bunker Hunt) and Arctic Tern in the Group One Prix Lupin at Longchamp. He was then sent to England to contest the Derby, with Lester Piggott who had ridden six previous winners of the race being engaged to ride the colt at Epsom. On 2 June 1976, Empery started at odds of 10/1 for the Derby against twenty-two opponents, with the 2000 Guineas winner Wollow starting 11/10 favourite. Nelson Bunker Hunt was not in attendance for the race, the most valuable ever run in Britain, as he was celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary at home in Dallas. In the early