Editing 2000 Guineas Stakes (section)

==History==
The 2000 Guineas Stakes was first run on 18 April 1809, and it preceded the introduction of a version for fillies only, the [[1000 Guineas Stakes]], by five years. Both races were established by the [[Jockey Club]] under the direction of [[Sir Charles Bunbury, 6th Baronet|Sir Charles Bunbury]], who had earlier co-founded the Derby at [[Epsom Downs Racecourse|Epsom]]. The races were named according to their original prize funds (a [[Guinea (British coin)|guinea]] amounted to 21 [[Shilling (British coin)|shillings]], so the original prize was £2,100).

By the mid-1860s, the 2000 Guineas was regarded as one of Britain's most prestigious races for three-year-olds. The five leading events for this age group, characterised by increasing distances as the season progressed, began to be known as "Classics". The concept was later adopted in many other countries.

European variations of the 2000 Guineas include the [[Irish 2,000 Guineas]], the [[Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen]], the [[Poule d'Essai des Poulains]] and the [[Premio Parioli]]. Elsewhere, variations include the [[Australian Guineas]] and the [[Satsuki Shō]].

The 2000 Guineas is served by trial races such as the [[Craven Stakes]] and the [[Greenham Stakes]], but for some horses it is the first race of the season. The 2000 Guineas itself can act as a [[Trial races for the Epsom Derby|trial for the Derby]], and the last horse to win both was [[Camelot (horse)|Camelot]] in 2012. The most recent 2000 Guineas participant to win the Derby was City Of Troy, placed ninth in 2024.

Since 2001, the 2000 Guineas and the 1000 Guineas Stakes have offered equal prize money. Each had a purse of £523,750 in 2019.