During 1852, 95 clipper ships along with ten clipper barques sailed from northeastern ports around the Horn for San Francisco. Seventeen of them made the passage in less than 110 days. The became known as "The Deep Sea Derby." Clippers taking part in this Derby and arriving in San Francisco included:
- Bald Eagle
(extreme clipper)
- Built by Donald McKay, 1852
- Arrived SF April 4, 1853
- 107 days
- Captain Phillip Dumaresq
- Contest
- Designed by David D. Westervelt
- Arrived SF February 24, 1853
- 100 days from New York (and returned to New York in 80 days)
- Captain William Brewster
- Dauntless
- Built by Benjamin F. Delano, 1852
- Arrived SF February 12, 1853
- from Boston
- Fleetwood
- George Raynes Shipyard, 1852
- Arrived SF April 13, 1853
- 130 days from Boston
- Flying Childers
- Samuel Hall, Boston, 1852
- Arrived SF April 7, 1853
- 113 days from Boston
- Captain Jeremiah D. White
- Flying Dutchman (extreme clipper)
- Built by William Webb, 1852
- Captain Ashbel Hubbard
- Flying Fish
- Arrived SF January 31, 1853
- 92 days/4 hours from New York
- Captain Nickels
- Game Cock
- Pook design, Samuel Hall Boston Shipyard
- March 10, 1853
- 115 days from New York
- Captain Hollis
- Grey Feather
- Arrived SF March 15, 1853
- 126 days from NewYork
- Captain Daniel McLaughlan
- Golden Eagle
- Hayden & Cudworth Shipyard
- 110 days from Boston (lost time due to high seas past Rio De Janeiro)
- Captain Samuel L. Fabens
- Golden West
(extreme clipper)
- Paul Curtis, Boston, 1852
- Arrived SF
- 124 days from Boston
- Captain Samuel R. Curwen
- Jacob Bell
- Jacob and Abraham Bell, 1852
- Arrived SF April 10, 1853
- 122 days from New York
- Meteor
- E. & H.O. Briggs Boston shipyard, 1852
- March 10, 1853
- 113 days
- Northern Light
- Designed by Samuel Harte Pook, H.O. Briggs Boston Shipyard, 1851
- 1853, 117 days from Boston
- Her first passage around the Horn was 109 days under Captain Bailey Loring; this was her second passage at 117 days; she was taken back to Boston by Captain Hatch in 76 days, 8 hours.
- Peerless
- Queen of the Seas
- Arrived SF March 11, 1853
- 119 days from Boston (with heavy battering at Cape Horn
- Captain Elias D. Knight
- Red Rover
- Fernald & Pettigrew, 1852
- Arrived SF April 19, 1853
- 117 days from New York (stormy passage; lost masts, yards and canvas)
- Captain W. O. Putnam
- Telegraph
- Pook design, J.O. Curtis Medford shipyeard, 1852
- March 10, 1853, 114 days
- Captain C.W. Pousland
- Trade Wind
- Jacob Bell's Shipyard
- Arrived SF February 24, 1853
- 103 days from New York
- Westward Ho
(extreme clipper)
- Donald McKay, 1852
- Arrived SF January 31, 1853
- 107 days from Boston
- Captain Johnson
- Whirlwind (extreme clipper)
- James O. Curtis Shipyard, 1852
- Arrived SF March 11, 1853
- 128 days from Boston
- Winged Racer
- Pook design
- March 30, 1853
- 108 days (105 days to the bar off of San Francisco; waited 3 days to enter the harbor)
- Captain William Homen
"As soon as the cargo came down, each ship became surrounded by tea lighters, for they were loaded in the stream. Sweating coolies, standing on stages, rigged along the Cutty Sark's black and the Thermopyle's green sides, hove the chests aboard to their mates in the holds amidst a continual sing-song of guttural Chinese chantying.
It was hot, steamy, S.W. monsoon weather, with sharp bursts of rain alternating with a damp fog, so that sail bending was left to the very last moment.
Cutty Sark was the first to finish loading, the last chest being hurled aboard on the afternoon of June 17th. She got under way at 7 p.m. and dropped down as far as Halfway Point, where she had to bring up for the night.
Themopyle put the taupaulins on her hatches some time after dark that same night. The Woosung bar was crossed by both vessels the following morning, Cutty Sark being in the lead, and the beautiful Sir Lancelot, on her way to load at Foochow, was also in company.
The two clippers raced through nights at sea in monsoon weather and did not see each other again until July 15 off the coast of Borneo. Cutty Sark had the lead, but on July 19th, Thermopyle had gained a lead of 1-1/5 miles. From July 26, off of Keeling Cocos Island, they did not see each other again. Cutty Sark passed Thermopyle in the Indian Ocean. Cutty Sark had lost her rudder on August 15th, Thermopyle took the lead and was towed up the Thames to unload on October 18th, only one week ahead of her rival.