Erhaab was a smaller than average[4] Thoroughbred horse, standing 15.2 hands high[5] with a dark brown coat which has sometimes, incorrectly, been described as black.

The race would prove to have been a highly competitive one: apart from Erhaab, the field included the future Group One winners King's Theatre, Overbury (Queen Elizabeth II Cup) and Nicolotte (Premio Vittorio di Capua).

[11] In August, at Newcastle Erhaab won his first race, quickening well to take the lead inside the final furlong and running on strongly to win by two and a half lengths.

On his debut he ran in the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, in which he was matched against Weigh Anchor, a colt who was regarded as a serious Derby prospect.

He was sent to York for the Dante Stakes an important Derby trial,[18] where he was faced by a field that included the 2,000 Guineas winner, Mister Baileys as well as King's Theatre and Weigh Anchor.

Carson made his challenge on Erhaab two furlongs out, and the colt quickened well to take the lead and then pulled clear to win in "impressive" style by three and a half lengths.

The number of runners led to considerable congestion and bumping, with Willie Ryan being unseated from Foyer in the worst of many incidents- Carson described it as "carnage..there were murders going on".

[6] Mister Baileys maintained a six-length lead into the straight but began to struggle two furlongs out, as Carson negotiated his way through a series of gaps on the inside to move into contention with Erhaab.

Erhaab was switched to the outside by Carson and produced a strong, sustained run, ("like a dart from a blowpipe")[6] catching King's Theatre inside the last furlong and moving ahead to win by one and a quarter lengths.

His Derby win was sufficiently impressive for him to be sent off the odds on favourite, but after having every chance in the straight, he failed to quicken and finished third behind the five-year-old Ezzoud and the four-year-old Bob's Return.

On his final start, Erhaab was moved back up to a mile and a half for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot for which he was again made favourite.

Erhaab was held up and appeared to be moving into contention in the straight when he has badly hampered by the riderless Ezzoud, who had unseated his jockey at the start.

This placed him equal fourth amongst the European three-year-olds, behind the filly Balanchine, the miler Distant View and the Breeders' Cup Turf winner Tikkanen.

[33] Erhaab spent the 2000 season at Shadwell's American base at Lexington, Kentucky, before being returned to England to stand at the Beech House Stud at Newmarket, Suffolk.