The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain, run over a distance of one mile, two furlongs and 56 yards at York in May. The event is named after Dante, the Yorkshire-trained winner of the Derby substitute at Newmarket in 1945. This Thursday it runs again. Eleven of its previous winners have gone on to win the Epsom Derby. Here is the complete story of why no other trial tells you as much about what will happen at Epsom.
Why York Produces Derby Winners
Sir Michael Stoute, who won the Dante and then the Derby with Desert Crown in 2022, offered the simplest possible explanation: "If you win the Dante, you don't have to improve much to win the Derby." The assessment is elegant and accurate. York's Knavesmire is flat, wide and left-handed — a galloping track where races are run at genuine pace and horses are required to sustain their effort over a mile and a quarter. The Derby at Epsom is a mile and a half on an undulating, turning course. A horse that wins the Dante by travelling powerfully and finishing strongly has demonstrated sustained galloping ability over a distance that transfers directly to Epsom's demands.
The Roll of Honour
In total, eleven winners of the race have won the Derby. The first was St Paddy in 1960, and the most recent was Desert Crown in 2022. In between: Shahrastani (1986), Reference Point (1987), Benny The Dip (1997), Authorized (2007) and Golden Horn (2015). Each of those horses won the Dante convincingly and then confirmed their Classic credentials at Epsom. The connection between a powerful York performance and a strong Derby run is the most consistent pattern in the Classic preparation calendar.
The Market Effect
The Dante Stakes has only been won by one favourite in the past ten years — Roaring Lion in 2018. Libertarian produced a 33-1 shock in 2013, and Telecaster upset the odds-on Too Darn Hot in 2019. The race consistently produces surprises — the Derby market sends horses to York with high reputations that are tested publicly for the first time. The shock Dante winner resets the Derby ante-post market. Backing Dante winners in the Derby has been consistently profitable across the race's history precisely because the Dante identifies horses the market has underestimated before they run.
This Year — Benvenuto Cellini and His Challengers
Benvenuto Cellini won the Chester Vase and leads the Derby market at 3/1. He does not run in the Dante — his preparation is complete after Chester. The Dante on Thursday will produce whoever challenges him at Epsom. The Dante field is not yet declared but declarations drop on Tuesday. Watch for O'Brien's representative and any horse from the Gosden, Balding or Varian yards that arrives at York with an unbeaten or lightly-raced profile.
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Facts verified via web search May 11 2026.