Lexington Stakes

Grade III race
Lexington Stakes
Location Keeneland Race Course
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated 1936
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website Keeneland racing
Race information
Distance 11/16 miles (8.5 furlongs)
Track Dirt, left-handed
Qualification Three-year-olds
Weight Assigned
Purse US$300,000

The Lexington Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, the Grade III event is contested on dirt over a distance of 11/16 miles (8.5 furlongs)

It was run as Calumet Purse, an overnight allowance race, from 1973-1983. Renamed the Lexington Stakes in 1984, since 1998 it has been sponsored by Ireland's renowned Coolmore Stud.

First run in 1936, it was a six furlong race for two-year-olds during Keeneland's inaugural meeting. Then, it was an 1¼ mile overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up from 1938–1941. A listed race in 1984, it achieved Grade III status in 1986 and was a GII from 1988 through 2010. The race was downgraded to GIII status for 2011 by the American Graded Stakes Committee.[1] It is now considered, along with the Federico Tesio Stakes, to be the final prep for the Kentucky Derby.

Records

Speed record:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners

Year
Winner
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Time
2011 Derby Kitten Julien Leparoux Mike Maker Ken & Sarah Ramsey 1:42.03
2010 Exhi Robby Albarado Todd Pletcher Wertheimer et Frere 1:44.38
2009 Advice Garrett Gomez Todd A. Pletcher WinStar Farm LLC 1:43.33
2008 Behindatthebar David Flores Todd A. Pletcher Padua Stables. S. K. Sanan, et al. 1:42.14
2007 Slew's Tizzy Robby Albarado Gregory J. Fox Joseph LaCombe Stable 1:43.20
2006 Showing Up Cornelio Velasquez Barclay Tagg Lael Stables 1:46.42
2005 Coin Silver Javier Castellano Todd A. Pletcher Peachtree Stable 1:45.76
2004 Quintons Gold Rush Jerry Bailey Steve Asmussen Padua Stables & Jay Manoogian 1:43.82
2003 Scrimshaw Edgar Prado D. Wayne Lukas Bob & Beverly Lewis 1:45.47
2002 Proud Citizen Mike E. Smith D. Wayne Lukas R. C. Baker/D. Cornstein/W. L. Mack 1:44.58
2001 Keats Larry Melancon Niall M. O'Callaghan Henry E. Pabst 1:43.54
2000 Unshaded Shane Sellers Carl Nafzger James Tafel, LLC 1:43.60
1999 Charismatic Jerry Bailey D. Wayne Lukas Bob & Beverly Lewis 1:41.00
1998 Classic Cat Robby Albarado David C. Cross, Jr. Gary M. Garber 1:42.80
1997 Touch Gold Gary L. Stevens David Hofmans Frank Stronach & Stonerside Stable 1:43.20
1996 City by Night Shane Sellers Patrick B. Byrne Nancy & Richard Kaster 1:42.20
1995 Star Standard Pat Day Nicholas P. Zito W. J. Condren & J. Cornacchia 1:45.00
1994 Southern Rhythm Garrett Gomez James O. Keefer William Heiligbrodt, et al. 1:45.60
1993 Grand Jewel Jerry Bailey Neil J. Howard W. S. Farish III & W. S. Kilroy 1:43.60
1992 My Luck Runs North Ricardo Lopez Angel M. Medina Melvin A. Benitez 1:44 .00
1991 Hansel Jerry Bailey Frank L. Brothers Lazy Lane Farms 1:42.60
1990 Home at Last Jerry Bailey Carl Nafzger Russell L. Reineman Stable 1:43.40
1989 Notation Pat Day James W. Murphy Joan C. Johnson, et al. 1:44.40
1988 Risen Star Jacinto Vasquez Louie J. Roussel III Louie J. Roussel III & Ronnie Lamarque 1:42.80
1987 War Herb McCauley D. Wayne Lukas Tom Gentry 1:44.40
1986 Wise Times Keith Allen Philip A. Gleaves Russell L. Reineman Stable 1:44.80
1985 Stephan's Odyssey Laffit Pincay, Jr. Woody Stephens Henryk de Kwiatkowski 1:42.60
1984 He Is a Great Deal Julio C. Espinoza Bernard S. Flint B. S. Flint, Inc. & M. Palmisano 1:45.40
1983 Highland Park Jacinto Vasquez Anthony Basile Bwamazon Farm & B. C. Jones 1:44.80
1982 Stage Reviewer Jerry Bailey Lucien Laurin Mrs. Lucien Laurin 1:44.20
1981 Swinging Light Dan Delahoussaye James P. Conway Edgar Zantker 1:44.20
1980 Rockhill Native John Oldham Herbert K. Stevens Harry A. Oak 1:43.40
1979 Pianist Michael Morgan Peter M. Howe Pillar Farm 1:43.00
1978 Sensitive Prince Mickey Solomone H. Allen Jerkens Joseph Taub 1:44.80
1977 Giboulee Jeffrey Fell Jacques Dumas Jean-Louis Levesque 1:42.80
1976 No Link Darrel McHargue Douglas Davis, Jr. Fred Selz & Gus Blass 1:43.20
1975 Master Derby Darrel McHargue Smiley Adams Golden Chance Farm 1:42.60
1974 Satan's Hills David Whited Peter W. Salmen, Jr. Crimson King Farm 1:43.00
1973 Our Native † Don Brumfield William Resseguet, Jr. Mrs. M.J. Prichard & W. Resseguet, Jr. 1:42.80
1937 Co-Sport Porter Roberts Robert L. Dotter Bert Friend 1:12.80
1936 White Tie Joseph Cowley John M. Gaver, Sr. Manhasset Stable 1:12.00

* † In 1973, Starkers finished first but was disqualified and set back to second.

References