Lexus Stakes

Winners and Past Results for the Lexus Stakes

The Lexus Stakes is an open Group 3 race held at Flemington Racecourse in November during the spring racing carnival in Melbourne.

The Group 3 race is open to horses of all ages and is held under quality handicap conditions. The 2500 metre event offers prize money worth $250,000 from The Victoria Racing Club, the host of the event. One notable feature of the Lexus Stakes is that the winner is exempt from ballot for the prestigious Melbourne Cup held three days later on the same track. For the majority of horses, the race is a final warm up leading up to the Melbourne Cup.

INSERT: The 1956 triple dead-heat in the Hotham Handicap (now called the Lexus Stakes) at Flemington between (from the outside) Fighting Force (J. Purtell), Ark Royal (R. Heather) and Pandie Sun (W. Williamson).

The Lexus Stakes is held on Derby Day along with other popular Group 1 races such as the Mackinnon Stakes, Coolmore Stud Stakes and Myer Classic.

The Lexus Stakes has a rich history with the first event held as the Hotham Handicap way back in 1869. It remained a principal race until 1979 when it was granted Group 3 status and was once again elevated to Group 2 in 1981. Since 2004, the Lexus Stakes has been a Group 3 event. It has also been known as the VRC The Dalgety and Saab Quality over the years. The event usually favours more than handy stayers who continue to remain in top form during the season in a lead up to the Melbourne Cup. Some horses fancy their chances in the Lexus Stakes after an outing in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup over 2400 metres. After finishing poorly in the Caulfield Cup, Niwot came back strongly in the Lexus Stakes to take victory. In his next outing, Niwot finished eighth in the Melbourne Cup.

Some horses may make their way to the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the same track at Flemington over 2600 metres. Prior to running third in the 2011 Lexus Stakes, Anudjawun placed fourth in the Group 2 Drake International Cup over 2400 metres at Moonee Valley and then finished the season with a fifth spot in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Prior to winning the 2009 Lexus Stakes/ Melbourne Cup double, Shocking was runner up in the 2500 M Group 3 David Jones Cup at Caulfield.

Among the other outstanding stayers to win the Lexus Stakes include Star Binder in 1998, Don Raphael in 2004, and Maluckyday in 2010.

2012 Lexus Stakes

Dame Claire was in a hurry, getting to the lead and turning up the heat by galloping along at a good clip. Kelinni, on the other hand, was kept well back for the first 2000 metres by jockey Nash Rawiller, as the front-runners set a tempo that would ensure this became a true staying event. As they rounded the turn, Kelinni gradually moved forward and was in real contention as they straightened. The gelding kicked clear with 250 metres to go, and even though Dare To Dream did threaten, Kelinni showed the heart of a stayer to see off the challenge and win by a neck. Exceptionally, who had been handy throughout, was third.

2012 Lexus Stakes result

1. Kelinni
2. Dare To Dream
3. Exceptionally

Then came:

4. Ibicenco
5. Dame Claire
6. Gatewood
7. Reuben Percival
8. Sabrage
9. Fictional Account
10. Peal Of Bells
11. Tanby
12. Permit
13. Excluded