The Romanian Derby () is a horse race run annually in Ploiești, Romania, over a distance of 2,400 metres, open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. Generally, a derby (named after the Derby Stakes, inaugurated in 1780) is considered to be the most important kind of horse race.

History

The derby was established in 1875 by the Romanian Jockey Club. The first Romanian Derby was run in July 1875 in Bucharest over a distance of 2,000 metres and was won by the filly Gizelda, owned by Alexandru Balș. Between 1875 and 1885, the Derby was run over a distance of 2,000 meters, between 1886 and 1895 over a distance of 2,200 metres, and starting with 1896 over the established distance of 2,400 metres. The Derby was run on a Sunday, in June, at the end of May or at the beginning of July, being a highly anticipated event, gathering occasionally over 20,000 spectators.

The last derby of this classical series was run in 1960, the competition being discontinued afterwards as the last standing section of the Băneasa Hippodrome, where the derby was run, was demolished that year to make way for the Romexpo building.

Between 1961 and 2023, the Derby was run only one time, namely in August 2000, at the Mangalia Hippodrome, over a distance of 2,000 metres, the winner of the race being the filly Datina.Castigatorii Derby Roman - lista cailor romani campioni

Starting in 2024 (after a failed attemptDerby-ul de Galop programat duminică pe Hipodromul Ploiești e amânat in 2023), the Derby is run annually at the Ploiești Hippodrome.

Notable owners, jockeys and horses

The owner who won the most races was Alexandru Marghiloman, known as the father of Romanian equestrianism. He won 25 races during his lifetime, and after his death (10 May 1925), a horse who was born shortly before his demise won the race in 1928. Alexandru Marghiloman also owned the best Romanian race horse in history, Zori de Zi,Zori de Zi who won the Romanian Derby in 1913 and also won almost every race in which he ran.

Notable jockeys include Aristide Cucu, Nicolae Ilinca, Vasile Huțuleag, Mihai Câmpeanu, Ștefan Botescu, Gogu Stoian. Notable horse trainers include Ion Pinka, Ion Gheorghe, Ștefan Ujvary, Nicolae Verone, Titi Cornea, Gheorghe Enescu.

The first dead heat of the Romanian Derby took place in 1934, the winner being selected by voting. Three out of five determined the winner to be Toiag, belonging to General Moruzzi.

Of the 82 classical races, 64 were won by colts and 18 by fillies (the first and last race were won by fillies).

Winning horses

1875: Gizelda 1876: Cora 1877-8: no races 1879: Roland II 1880: Vesta 1881: Mars II 1882: Monarque 1883: Meteor 1884: Ouragan 1885: Prim 1886: Lord Byron 1887: Vijelia 1888: La Gondola 1889: Loteria 1890: Cartuș 1891: Saint-Cyrien 1892: Saint-Cyrien (won twice) 1893: Partisan 1894: Darling 1895: Oltu 1896: Paradox 1897: Pajera 1898: Eole 1899: Melinigue 1900: Ardeal 1901: Argeș 1902: Cobzar 1903: Esquil 1904: Mărășești 1905: Stanca 1906: Tina 1907: Val Vârtej 1908: Whig 1909: La Caterina 1910: Vifor 1911: Freamăt 1912: Whisky 1913: Zori de Zi 1914: Fleac 1915: Frasin 1916: Dristor 1917-8: no races 1919: Fluieraș 1920: Roșcova 1921: Flașneta 1922: Ghici? 1923: Taifun 1924: Lefter 1925: Lulli 1926: Banu Mărăcine 1927: Maltezi II 1928: Ghiaur 1929: Satrap 1930: Coquin 1931: Bar Le Duc 1932: Leu 1933: Scârbă Mică 1934: Toiag 1935: Pipico 1936: Gorgos 1937: Bastard 1938: Oștean 1939: Halmei 1940: S.O.S. 1941: Boer Bibi 1942: Foișor 1943: Burgund 1944: Golf 1945: Motan 1946: Mosquito 1947: Fantastic 1948: Mușchetar 1949: Poezia 1950: Epigon 1951: Commandor 1952: Matador 1953: Sorin II 1954: Mac II 1955: Petrică 1956: Capra 1957: Pușa 1958: Gal 1959: Pardubice 1960: Palmira 1961-99: no races 2000: Datina 2001-23: no races 2024: Easy SeaDaiana şi Easy Sea, campioanele zilei pe Hipodromul Ploieşti! | CSM Ploiesti 2025: Hand of EvaHand of Eva a profitat de unica șansă - PHonline.ro 2026: Lola GoCOMUNICAT DE PRESĂ | Agenția de presă Rador

References

Bibliography

Alexandru Grigorescu, Cândva la Băneasa. Ed. Vremea, 2008. ISBN 9736452999.

Alexandru Grigorescu, Odinioară la Băneasa. Ed. Mediana, 1996. ISBN 9739761909.

External links

Herghelie.ro

Jockey Club Român