1984 Epsom Derby

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The 1984 Epsom Derby was the 205th annual running of the Derby horse race. It took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 6 June 1984. It was the first edition of the race to be commercially sponsored and was known as the Ever Ready Derby. The sponsorship meant that the first prize of £227,680 was the biggest in the history of the race.

The race was won by Luigi Miglietti's Secreto at odds of 14/1, ridden by Christy Roche and trained in Ireland by David O'Brien. The favourite El Gran Senor, trained by David O'Brien's father Vincent finished second by a short head. The colt's win was a first success in the race for owner, trainer and jockey. At the age of 27, David O'Brien was one of the youngest men to have trained a Derby winner.

Race details

 * Sponsor: Ever Ready
 * Winner's prize money: £227,680
 * Going: Good
 * Number of runners: 17
 * Winner's time: 2 minutes, 39.12 seconds

Full result
Race result

Winner details
Further details of the winner, Secreto:


 * Foaled: 12 February 1981, in Maryland, United States
 * Sire: Northern Dancer; Dam: Betty's Secret (Secretariat)
 * Owner: Luigi Miglietti
 * Breeder: E. P. Taylor

Two-year-old races
Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1983:
 * Alphabatim - 1st in William Hill Futurity
 * El Gran Senor - 1st in Railway Stakes, 1st in National Stakes, 1st in Dewhurst Stakes
 * Elegant Air - 2nd in Lanson Champagne Stakes, 1st in Horris Hill Stakes
 * Ilium - 3rd in William Hill Futurity
 * My Volga Boatman - 2nd in Horris Hill Stakes

The road to Epsom
Early-season appearances in 1984 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:
 * Alphabatim – 1st in Sandown Classic Trial, 1st in Lingfield Derby Trial
 * El Gran Senor – 1st in Gladness Stakes, 1st in 2000 Guineas
 * Claude Monet – 1st in Heathorn Stakes, 1st in Dante Stakes
 * Ilium - 1st in Predominate Stakes
 * Kaytu – 1st in Chester Vase
 * Long Pond – 1st in Blue Riband Trial Stakes
 * Northern Fred – 2nd in Premio Presidente della Repubblica
 * Pigwidgeon - 3rd in Heathorn Stakes
 * Secreto – 1st in Tetrarch Stakes, 3rd in Irish 2000 Guineas
 * Telios – 3rd in Craven Stakes

Subsequent Group 1 wins
Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.


 * Alphabatim – Hollywood Turf Cup (1984, 1986)
 * At Talaq – Grand Prix de Paris (1984), Melbourne Cup (1986)
 * El Gran Senor – Irish Derby (1984)

Subsequent breeding careers
Leading progeny of participants in the 1984 Epsom Derby.

Sires of Classic winners
El Gran Senor (2nd) Secreto (1st) - Exported to USA - Later exported to Japan At Talaq (4th)
 * Rodrigo De Triano - 1st 2000 Guineas Stakes, 1st Irish 2,000 Guineas (1992)
 * Belmez - 1st King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1990)
 * Gran Alba - 1st Christmas Hurdle (1991)
 * Toussaud - 1st Criterion Stakes (1992) dam of Empire Maker, Chester House and Chiselling
 * Mystiko - 1st 2000 Guineas Stakes (1991)
 * Tamuro Cherry - 1st Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (2001)
 * Miss Secreto - 1st Premio Regina Elena (1989)
 * Staunch Friend - 1st Bula Hurdle (1993)
 * Star Of Maple - 1st Rosehill Guineas (1994)
 * Skating - 1st Winfield Classic (1993)
 * Toledo - 1st Newmarket Handicap (2001)
 * Al Mansour - 1st George Ryder Stakes (2000)

Sires of Group/Grade One winners
Elegant Air (12th)
 * Dashing Blade - 1st Dewhurst Stakes (1989), Leading sire in Germany (1998)
 * Air de Rien - 1st Prix Saint-Alary (1990)
 * Ocean Air - 2nd Premio Lydia Tesio (1991)
 * Montpelier Lad - 1st Anniversary Hurdle (1991)

Sires of National Hunt horses
Alphabatim (5th) Cataldi (17th)
 * Golden Alpha - 1st Red Rum Handicap Chase (2003)
 * Mr Nosie - 1st Deloitte Novice Hurdle (2006)
 * Nosie Betty - Dam of Cole Harden
 * Trouble Ahead - 1st AGFA Diamond Handicap Chase (2000)
 * Betty's Boy - 1st National Hunt Handicap Chase (1999)

Other Stallions
Claude Monet (13th) - Artistic Reef (3rd King George Stakes 1992), Sweet Revival (dam of Sweet Return) - Later exported to South Africa Telios (6th) - Exported to Japan - Mejiro Lambada (1st Nikkei Shinshun Hai 1997) Long Pond (7th) - Midnights Daughter (dam of One Knight) Kaytu (8th) - Sired minor jumps winners Ilium (10th) - Sired minor jumps winners Mighty Flutter (3rd) - Exported to Spain Sheer Heights (9th) - Exported to Saudi Arabia My Volga Boatman (14th) - Exported to Turkey Northern Fred (16th) - Exported to Australia