What's in a name? How the Derby could have been the Bunbury

    By Rob Hodgetts, CNN

    Updated 1109 GMT (1909 HKT) May 11, 2021

    It's the richest horse race in Britain, but the Epsom Derby only received its name on the toss of a coin.
    Photos: The Derby. The Bunbury. What's in a name?
    It's the richest horse race in Britain, but the Epsom Derby only received its name on the toss of a coin.
    Hide Caption
    1 of 9
    The tale goes that during the celebrations following the inaugural running of the Oaks Stakes at Epsom in 1779, a new race was proposed. It would be named after the party's host, the 12th Earl of Derby, or one of the guests, Sir Charles Bunbury, depending on the toss.
    Photos: The Derby. The Bunbury. What's in a name?
    The tale goes that during the celebrations following the inaugural running of the Oaks Stakes at Epsom in 1779, a new race was proposed. It would be named after the party's host, the 12th Earl of Derby, or one of the guests, Sir Charles Bunbury, depending on the toss.
    Hide Caption
    2 of 9
    Derby won the naming rights and the rest -- not least the Kentucky Derby -- is history.
    Photos: The Derby. The Bunbury. What's in a name?
    Derby won the naming rights and the rest -- not least the Kentucky Derby -- is history.
    Hide Caption
    3 of 9
    This year's 238th edition of the Epsom Derby is worth nearly £1 million ($1.3 million) to the winning connections.
    Photos: The Derby. The Bunbury. What's in a name?
    This year's 238th edition of the Epsom Derby is worth nearly £1 million ($1.3 million) to the winning connections.
    Hide Caption
    4 of 9
    But, in the early years, drinking, carousing, gambling, cockfighting, illegal bare-knuckle boxing matches and all manner of other activities ran alongside the racing.
    Photos: The Derby. The Bunbury. What's in a name?
    But, in the early years, drinking, carousing, gambling, cockfighting, illegal bare-knuckle boxing matches and all manner of other activities ran alongside the racing.
    Hide Caption
    5 of 9
    That didn't detract from its popularity, with the attendance swelling to around 8,000 in 1795 to 10 times that number in 1823, according to the official Epsom Derby website.
    Photos: The Derby. The Bunbury. What's in a name?
    That didn't detract from its popularity, with the attendance swelling to around 8,000 in 1795 to 10 times that number in 1823, according to the official Epsom Derby website.
    Hide Caption
    6 of 9
    A full cross section of society still attends to this day. Queen Elizabeth II has only missed two races since 1946.