Derby (horse race) four-year-old Thoroughbreds, and the Canadian Pacing Derby, an annual harness race for "aged pacers" (Standardbreds) four years old and up. In Scandinavian harness racing Derby is restricted to four-year-olds. Exception is the Finnhorse Derby, which is restricted to five-year-olds. Derby (horse race) A derby ( , ) is a type of horse race named after the Derby Stakes run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in England. That was in turn named after Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, who inaugurated the race in 1780. Perhaps the best-known example after the original is the Kentucky Derby in the United States. Traditionally, the
Lafayette Stakes Churchill Downs in 1943 and 1944. There was no race run in 1945. Two horses set new Keeneland course records in winning this race: Mals Boy in 1950 and Loom in 1964. Speed record: (at current distance of 7 furlongs) Lafayette Stakes The Lafayette Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, it is contested on Polytrack synthetic dirt over a distance of seven furlongs. A Listed race from 1983 through 1989, it was elevated to a Grade III event in 1990 then modified to a non-graded status