Lexington Stakes

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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 25th running in 2006, the Lexington was a race for two-year-olds in during Keeneland's inaugural meeting in 1936. The 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.

[edit] Past winners

2006 - Showing Up (Cornelio Velasquez)
2005 - Coin Silver (Javier Castellano)
2004 - Quintons Gold Rush (Jerry Bailey)
2003 - Scrimshaw (Edgar Prado) (Eye of the Tiger, second, & Domestic Dispute, third, plus the winner all entered the Derby this year.)
2002 - Proud Citizen (Mike E. Smith)
2001 - Keats (Larry Melancon)
2000 - Unshaded (Shane Sellers)
1999 - Charismatic (Jerry Bailey) (Charismatic won the Kentucky Derby after this race. He also holds the record for the Lexington: 1:41)
1998 - Classic Cat (Robby Albarado)
1997 - Touch Gold (Gary Stevens) (Smoke Glaken, under Craig Perret, placed.)
1996 - City by Night (Shane Sellers)
1995 - Star Standard (Pat Day)
1994 - Southern Rhythm (Garret Gomez)
1993 - Grand Jewel (Jerry Bailey)
1992 - My Luck Runs North (Ricardo Lopez)
1991 - Hansel (Jerry Bailey)
1990 - Home at Last (Jerry Bailey)
1989 - Notation (Pat Day)
1988 - Risen Star (Jacinto Vasquez) (Forty Niner, Pat Day up, placed.) (Risen Star won the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness after this race.
1987 - War (Herb McCauley)
1986 - Wire Times (Keith Allen)
1985 - Stephan's Odyssey (Laffit Pincay, Jr.)
1984 - He Is a Great Deal (Julio C. Espinoza) (Swale, Laffit Pincay, Jr. up, winner of that year's Kentucky Derby, placed.)
1983 - Highland Park (Jacinto Vasquez)
1982 - Stage Reviewer (Jerry Bailey)
1981 - Swinging Light (Dan Delahoussaye)
1980 - Rockhill Native (John Oldham)
1979 - Pianist (Michael Morgan)
1978 - Sensitive Prince (Mickey Solomone)
1977 - Giboulee (Jeff Fell)
1976 - Master Derby (Darrel McHargue)
1975 - Satan's Hills (David E. Whited)
1974 - Our Native (Don Brumfield) (Mr. Prospector, under Walter Blum, came third.)