Lexington

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA 20-10-6-4-2
April 11, 2026

Lexington Stakes Race History

Although the Lexington (G3) isn’t the most lucrative prize on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Keeneland fixture nevertheless holds a special place on the Derby trail.

Traditionally one of the final Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races, the Lexington provides one last opportunity for horses in need of qualification points to earn their way into the Derby field. And even when the Lexington fails to produce a Derby starter, it typically serves as a prominent steppingstone toward the Preakness (G1), the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

Held over 1 1⁄16 miles, the current version of the Lexington was run for the first time in 1984, and the race wasted no time trumpeting its status as a viable steppingstone toward the spring classics. Inaugural Lexington runner-up Swale came right back to win the Kentucky Derby, while 1985 Lexington winner Stephan’s Odyssey parlayed his triumph at Keeneland into victory in the Belmont Stakes (G1), the final leg of the Triple Crown.

The Lexington achieved graded status in 1986, and during the next two decades it produced a steady stream of high-profile horses. Champions and/or classic winners Forty Niner (1989), Risen Star (1989), Pleasant Tap (1990), Hansel (1991), Charismatic (1999), and Commendable (2000) all contested the Lexington and the Kentucky Derby; Charismatic, in fact, won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness after crushing his Lexington rivals in the stakes-record time of 1:41.06.

But the momentum of the Lexington slowed considerably after Keeneland transitioned from a dirt track to a synthetic surface in time for the 2007 spring meet. After cranking out 34 Kentucky Derby starters between 1984 and 2006, the Lexington produced just two Derby contestants during the synthetic era, which lasted through 2014.

The return of dirt racing in 2015 coincided with a shift in the date of the Lexington, which moved from two weeks before the Kentucky Derby to three weeks out. These changes triggered a rebound for the Lexington, which was promptly won by future classic-placed runners Divining Rod (2015), Senior Investment (2017), and Owendale (2019); Kentucky Derby starter My Boy Jack (2018); and Grade 1 winners Collected (2016) and Arabian Lion (2023).

The Lexington awards Kentucky Derby qualification points on a 20-10-6-4-2 split to the top four finishers.

By J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Results

Win

Place

Show

8

Trendsetter20

$66.68

$19.12

$7.80

7

The Hell We Did10

$5.12

1

Corona de Oro6

$3.36

11

I Did I Did4

10

Confessional2

Payouts

Exacta

261.87

8/7

Trifecta

532.72

8/7/1

Superfecta

4941.67

8/7/1/11

Double

123.73

1/8

Pick-3

1256.42

10/1/8

  • Subscribe to the Kentucky Derby Newsletter for Race Updates and Contender Stories

Entries

Jockey

Owner

Trainer

Current odds

Wagers

1

Corona de Oro

Hernandez Jr., Brian Joseph

On Our Own Stable, LLC, Commonwealth Stable, U Racing Stables, LLC, Saints or Sinners, Titletown Racing, LLC, Nichols, Jim, Barker, Edwin S., Rivers, Daniel, Haines, John and Stewart, Dallas

Stewart, Dallas

6/1

2

Exhibition Only

Silvera, Ruben

SEI Thoroughbreds and Rodriguez, Rudy R.

Rodriguez, Rudy R.

10/1

3

Decisive Win

Fresu, Antonio

Great Friends Stables and Davis, Mark D.

O'Neill, Doug F.

15/1

4

Enforced Agenda

Castellano, Javier

St. Elias Stable

Weaver, George

10/1

5

Mister T

Murrill, Mitchell

Baileyboy Racing, LLC

Galindo-Torres, Climaco

30/1

6

Ramblin

Gutierrez, Mario

Blackwood, Don and Red Pack Partners

Barnett, Bobby C.

20/1

7

The Hell We Did

Saez, Luis

Peacock Family Racing Stable, LLC

Fincher, Todd W.

8/1

8

Trendsetter

Kimura, Kazushi

Midway Racing LLC (Davant Latham)

Colebrook, Ben

20/1

9

Ezum

Prat, Flavien

Shadwell Stable

Cox, Brad H.

2/1

10

Confessional

Ortiz Jr., Irad

Steve Landers Racing LLC

Cox, Brad H.

7/2

11

I Did I Did

Hernandez, Juan J.

Paradise Farms Corp., Staudacher, David, Turman Racing Stable LLC and Skychai Racing LLC

Maker, Michael J.

10/1

Road to the Kentucky Derby

No Upcoming Races.

FOLLOW FOR UPDATES AND EXCLUSIVES

Book Your Premium Experience

For Premium tickets, give us a call at 5026364447