The 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the St. Leger are the three British Classic races open to three-year-old horses of both sexes – the other two, the 1,000 Guineas and the Oaks, are restricted to three-year-old fillies – and, as such, constitute the so-called ‘Triple Crown’.
The St. Leger, run over an extended mile and three-quarters on Town Moor, Doncaster in September, is the oldest of the trio, having been established, as an unnamed sweepstakes over two miles, on nearby Cantley Common on September 24, 1776. The inaugural winner was an unnnamed filly owned by Charles Watson-Wentworth, Second Marquis of Rockingham, later named Allabaculia. Two years later, the race was transferred to its present location and, at the suggestion of the Second Marquis, named in honour of its founder, Lieutenant General Anthony St. Leger.
The Derby followed four years later, with the inaugural running taking place on May 4, 1780, albeit over the last mile of the old ‘orbicular’ course at Epsom, rather than the current mile and a half. The race was co-founded by Edward Smith-Stanley, Twelfth Earl of Derby and Sir Charles Bunbury and named after the former as the result of a (probably apocryphal) toss of a coin. The inaugural winner was the hitherto unbeaten Florizel colt Diomed, owned by Bunbury.
Last, but by no means least, came the 2,000 Guineas, which was first run over a mile on the Rowley Mile Course at Newmarket on April 18, 1809, and has continued, almost without exception, ever since. The race was established by the Jockey Club, under the auspices of senior steward Sir Charles Bunbury – as was the 1,000 Guineas, five years later – and the inaugural winner was the odds-on favourite, Wizard, trained locally by Thomas Perren.