Lexington Stakes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Coolmore Lexington Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses open to three year olds willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. Held at Keeneland at the end of April (two weeks before the Kentucky Derby), it is a Grade II event with a purse of $325,000.

Originally the Lexington Stakes, named after either the great stallion Lexington or the city of Lexington, Kentucky, it's been sponsored by Coolmore Stud in Ireland since 1998 and its purse raised to its present level.

In its 28th running in 2009, the Lexington was a race for two-year-olds in during Keeneland's inaugural meeting in 1936. Then it was an overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up from 1938-1941. Returning to a stakes schedule in 1984, it became a money-added event, and is now considered, along with the Federico Tesio Stakes, to be the final prep for the Kentucky Derby.

The race record of 1:41, while Keeneland was still a dirt track, was set by Charismatic in 1999 who went on to win the Kentucky Derby.

[edit] Past winners

As a race for two-year-olds only.

  • 1937 - Co-Sport (Porter Roberts)
  • 1936 - White Tie (Joseph Cowley)