The Lexington Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt run annually in April at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky during their spring meeting. The event currently offers a purse of $400,000.

History The first running of the event was on 24 October 1936, closing day of Keeneland's inaugural fall meeting as a six-furlong race for two-year-olds and was won by Manhasset Stable's White Tie, who ran as an entry with Greentree Stable's Tattered (finished 5th), winning in a time of 1:12 flat. In 1938, the conditions of the event were changed to a handicap for horses three years old and older, and the distance was set at miles. In 1940, the distance was extended to miles for two runnings in which Joe DeSoto's Steel Heels won both events, including setting a new track record in 1941. In October 1942, Keeneland held its last meeting due to the track being closed during World War II, the event was run as the Lexington Purse over a distance of miles.

In 1973, Keeneland scheduled an overnight allowance event as the Calumet Purse for three-year-old horses, which was held in April during the Spring meeting prior to the signature event of the meeting - Blue Grass Stakes. The event was named after Calumet Farm, a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm in Lexington. The 1975 winner of the event, Master Derby, not only completed this double but later in May of that year also won the middle leg of the U.S Triple Crown, Preakness Stakes.

In 1984, the event was renamed to the Lexington Stakes.

In 1986 the event was upgrade by the American Graded Stakes Committee to Grade III. Two years later the event was once again upgraded to Grade II and held this classification until 2010.

In 1989, the event was scheduled after the Blue Grass Stakes, and it is now rare for horses to run in both events.

The race was downgraded to Grade III status for 2011.

Since 2013, the event has been the last race with qualification points for the Road to the Kentucky Derby as a Wild Card event.

The event was not held in 2020 during Keeneland's spring meeting, which was moved to July and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Records Speed record miles – 1:41.00 Charismatic (1999)

Margins 9 lengths – Hansel (1991)

Most wins by a jockey 6 – Jerry Bailey (1982, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2004)

Most wins by a trainer 5 – Todd A. Pletcher (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013)

Most wins by an owner 2 – Junius W. Bell (1941, 1942) 2 – Russell L. Reineman Stable (1986, 1990) 2 – Bob Lewis & Beverly Lewis (1999, 2003) 2 – Fern Circle Stables (2017, 2021) 2 – Godolphin (2023, 2024)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefLexington Stakes2026Trendsetter 3Kazushi KimuraBen ColebrookMidway Racing miles1:44.51$398,750 III 2025Gosger3Irad Ortiz Jr.Brendan P. Walsh Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables miles1:44.15$400,000 III2024Encino3Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxGodolphin miles1:43.93$365,500 III2023First Mission3Luis SaezBrad H. CoxGodolphin miles1:43.74$398,750III2022Tawny Port 3Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxPeachtree Stable miles1:45.24$398,750III2021King Fury3Brian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeekFern Circle Stables & Three Chimneys Farm miles1:43.50$200,000III2020Race not held2019Owendale3Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxRupp Racing miles1:44.14$200,000III2018My Boy Jack3J. Keith DesormeauxDon't Tell My Wife Stables & Monomoy Stables miles1:44.22$200,000III2017Senior Investment3Channing HillKenneth G. McPeekFern Circle Stables miles1:45.05$200,000III2016Collected3Javier CastellanoBob BaffertSpeedway Stable miles1:43.33$150,000III2015Divining Rod3Julien R. LeparouxArnaud Delacour Lael Stables miles1:43.29$250,000III2014Mr. Speaker3Jose LezcanoPhipps Stable miles1:44.18$200,000III2013Winning Cause3Julien R. LeparouxTodd A. PletcherAlto Racing miles1:43.93$200,000III2012All Squared Away3Julio A. GarciaWesley A. WardAltamira Racing Stable & Wire to Wire Racing miles1:42.55$200,000III2011Derby Kitten3Julien R. LeparouxMichael J. MakerKenneth and Sarah Ramsey miles1:42.03$200,000III2010Exhi3Robby AlbaradoTodd A. PletcherWertheimer et Frère miles1:44.38$300,000II2009Advice3Garrett K. GomezTodd A. PletcherWinStar Farm miles1:43.33$300,000II2008Behindatthebar3David R. FloresTodd A. PletcherPadua Stables, Michael Shustek & W. Don Stanley miles1:42.14$325,000II2007Slew's Tizzy3Robby AlbaradoGregory FoxJoseph LaCombe Stable miles1:43.20$325,000II2006Showing Up3Cornelio VelasquezBarclay TaggLael Stables miles1:46.42$325,000II2005Coin Silver3Javier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherPeachtree Stable miles1:45.76$325,000II2004Quintons Gold Rush3Jerry D. BaileySteven M. AsmussenPadua Stables & Jay Manoogian miles1:43.82$325,000II2003Scrimshaw3Edgar S. PradoD. Wayne LukasBob Lewis & Beverly Lewis miles1:45.47$363,675II2002Proud Citizen3Mike E. SmithD. Wayne LukasRobert C. Baker, David Cornstein & William L. Mack miles1:44.58$364,650II2001Keats3Larry MelanconNiall M. O'CallaghanHenry E. Pabst miles1:43.54$371,475II2000Unshaded3Shane SellersCarl A. NafzgerJames Tafel miles1:43.60$357,400II1999Charismatic 3Jerry D. BaileyD. Wayne LukasRobert Lewis & Beverly Lewis miles1:41.00$378,700II1998Classic Cat3Robby AlbaradoDavid C. Cross Jr.Gary M. Garber miles1:42.80$368,225II1997Touch Gold3Gary L. StevensDavid E. HofmansFrank Stronach & Stonerside Stable miles1:43.20$188,650II1996City by Night3Shane SellersPatrick B. ByrneNancy & Richard Kaster miles1:42.20$199,150II1995Star Standard3Pat DayNicholas P. ZitoWilliam J. Condren & Joseph Cornacchia miles1:45.00$161,100II1994Southern Rhythm3Garrett K. GomezJames O. KeeferWilliam Heiligbrodt, et al. miles1:45.60$137,250II1993Grand Jewel3Jerry D. BaileyNeil J. HowardWilliam S. Farish III & William S. Kilroy miles1:43.60$140,675II19923Ricardo D. LopezAngel M. MedinaMelvin A. Benitez miles1:44.00$137,050II1991Hansel 3Jerry D. BaileyFrank L. BrothersLazy Lane Farms miles1:42.60$133,450II1990Home At Last3Jerry D. BaileyCarl A. NafzgerRussell L. Reineman Stable miles1:43.40$112,900II1989Notation3Pat DayJames W. MurphyJoan C. Johnson miles1:44.40$110,250II1988Risen Star3Jacinto VasquezLouie J. Roussel IIILouie J. Roussel III & Ronnie Lamarque miles1:42.80$105,600II1987War3Herb McCauleyD. Wayne LukasTom Gentry miles1:44.40$147,950III1986§ Wise Times3K. Keith AllenPhilip A. GleavesRussell L. Reineman Stable miles1:44.80$110,450III1985Stephan's Odyssey3Laffit Pincay Jr.Woodford C. StephensHenryk de Kwiatkowski miles1:42.60$53,500 1984He Is A Great Deal3Julio C. EspinozaBernard S. FlintBernard S. Flint & Michael Palmisano miles1:45.40$53,000 Calumet Purse1983Highland Park3Jacinto Vasquez Anthony L. Basile Bwamazon Farm & Brereton C. Jones miles1:44.80$27,4001982Stage Reviewer3Jerry D. BaileyLucien LaurinMrs. Lucien Laurin miles1:44.20$30,2001981Swinging Light3 Dan Delahoussaye James P. ConwayEdgar Zantker miles1:44.20$25,0001980Rockhill Native3 John Oldham Herbert K. Stevens Harry A. Oak miles1:43.40$24,5001979Pianist3 Michael Morgan Peter M. Howe Pillar Farm miles1:43.00$23,6001978Sensitive Prince3 Mickey Solomone H. Allen JerkensJoseph Taub miles1:44.80$15,0001977Giboulee3Jeffrey Fell Jacques Dumas Jean-Louis Levesque miles1:42.80$15,0001976 No Link3Darrel McHargue Douglas Davis Jr. Fred Selz & Gus Blass miles1:43.20$15,0001975Master Derby3Darrel McHargueSmiley AdamsGolden Chance Farm miles1:42.60$15,0001974Satan's Hills3 David E. Whited Peter W. Salmen Jr. Crimson King Farm miles1:43.00$12,5001973† Our Native3Don Brumfield William Resseguet Jr. Mrs. Elizabeth Prichard, Edward W. Thomas & William Resseguet Jr. miles1:42.80$12,5001943–1972Race not heldLexington Purse1942Technician6Ovie ScurlockRoss O. HigdonWoolford Farm miles1:46.80$2,500Lexington Handicap1941Steel Heels5Jimmy GeorgeFrank P. Letellier Junius W. Bell miles2:03.40$2,5001940Steel Heels4Albert SniderFrank P. Letellier Junius W. Bell miles2:04.20$2,5001939Chief Onaway3Eddie ArcaroRichard T. WattsLawrence Barker miles1:50.40$2,0001938Tunica3George SouthCharles C. NormanJoe DeSopo miles1:49.40$1,975Lexington Stakes1937Co-Sport2 Porter Roberts Richard T. RunnelsBenjamin Friend6 furlongs1:12.80$4,0501936§ White Tie2Joseph CowleyJohn M. Gaver Sr.Manhasset Stable6 furlongs1:12.00$3,675

Legend:

Notes:

† In the 1973 running of the event, Starkers finished first but was disqualified for interference and was placed second. Our Native was declared the winner.

§ Ran as part of an entry

See also Road to the Kentucky Derby List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links 2021 Keeneland Media Guide

References