The Lexus Stakes

The Lexus Stakes is a Group 3 quality handicap race held at Flemington racecourse annually during the Melbourne spring racing carnival in late October or early November. The race is run over a distance of 2500 metres and worth $250,000 in prizemoney. In 2011 The Lexus Stakes was won by Niwot from Macedonian with Anudjawun third.

The race is registered as the 'Hotham Handicap' has previously been known as 'The Dalgety' & 'SAAB Quality' and has been run as 'The Lexus Stakes' since 2009.

The Lexus Stakes is held on Derby day which is the first day of the four day Flemington spring racing carnival. Derby day features four Group 1 races, the AAMI Victoria Derby, Coolmore Stud Stakes, Mackinnon Stakes, and the Myer Classic.

The Lexus Stakes info
Date:	Saturday 3rd November 2012
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	2500 metres
Race Type:	Quality Handicap
Status:	Group 3
Prizemoney:	$250,000
2011 Winner:	Niwot

The Lexus Stakes is the last handicap race over a distance further than 2000m to be held for open horses before the running of the Flemington carnival's major race, the Melbourne Cup on the following Tuesday. The Saab is a good event to give horses a final hit out before contesting the 3200m of the Cup.

More often than not the race will be taken out by more than handy staying types rather than the upper echelon, although every now and then a quality type can find his way into the race and make his presence felt.

Niwot (2011) finished unplaced in the Gr1 Caulfield Cup over 2400m at Caulfield on his way to scoring in this event and recent The Lexus Stakes winners have been Maluckyday (2010) and Shocking (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
The Lexus Stakes has been a more of a moderate guide to the Melbourne Cup over recent years, although Maluckyday (2010) ran second to international galloper American three days later in the Melbourne Cup, and Shocking (2009) scored an authoritiave win before going on to win our most famous two mile race the following Tuesday.

Moatise (2008) went on to run 6th in the Melbourne Cup the following Tuesday while Cape Cover (3rd 2008) and Light Vision (2nd 2008) ran the quinella in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Emirates Stakes day.

Maybe Better (2006) ran third in the Melbourne Cup that year, while Brew (2000) went on to win the Melbourne Cup in the same year. Kingston Rule (2nd 1990) managed to take out the race that stops the nation the following Tuesday and Tawriffic (2nd in 1988) went on to win the Cup the following year in 1989.

2011 The Lexus Stakes result
1. $9.00 Niwot 55.0 Dean Yendall
2. $10.00 Macedonian 53.5 Luke Nolen
3. $13.00 Anudjawun 53.5 Corey Brown

then followed
4. $81.00 Raffaello 53.5 Ms Nikita McLean
5. $15.00 Showcause 53.5 Craig Newitt
6. $61.00 Reprisal 53.5 Brenton Avdulla
7. $51.00 Spechenka 53.5 Danny Nikolic
8. $101.00 Tactic 55.0 Brett Prebble
9. $17.00 Booming 56.5 Dwayne Dunn
10. $21.00 Galizani 53.5 Timothy Bell (a)
11. $14.00 Older Than Time 54.0 Craig Williams
12. $2.60 Green Moon 56.0 Nicholas Hall
13. $7.50 Midnight Martini 54.0 Michael Rodd

Margins: 3 len, 2.25 len
Time: 2:37.53

The Lexus Stakes recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Niwot	Macedonian	Anudjawun	2:37.5
2010	Maluckyday	Linton	Once Were Wild	2:35.1
2009	Shocking	Hume	Irazu	2:38.3
2008	Moatise	Light Vision	Cape Cover	2:37.7
2007	Sculptor	The Fuzz	Desert Master	2:35.4
2006	Maybe Better	Irazu	Vanquished	2:35.8
2005	Strasbourg	Bush Honey	Mr Celebrity	2:40.3
2004	Don Raphael	Catchmeifyoucan	Winning Belle	2:36.6
2003	Big Pat	Fawaz	Dance On Wood	2:39.4
2002	Requiem	Miss Meliss	Piachay	2:35.3
2001	Maythehorsebewithu	Spirit Of Westbury	Touch The Groom	2:35.8
2000	Brew	Mr Nelson	Yammer	2:37.1
1999	The Warrior	Rose O War	Seasquill	2:35.2
1998	Star Binder	Second Coming	Prince Iluka	2:34.6
1997	Backslapper	Grandmaster	Buzzoff	2:39.0
1996	Few Are Chosen	Centico	My Kiwi Gold	2:35.6
1995	Coachwood	Dupain	Sir Kingi	2:34.8
1994	Pindi	Starstruck	Coachwood	2:35.7
1993	Tennessee Jack	Maraakiz	Notwithstanding	2:34.0
1992	Big Barron	Val D Arno	Sir Winston	2:38.4
1991	Rasheek	Dr Grace	Alhabel	2:33.4
1990	Mount Olympus	Kingston Rule	La Tristia	2:33.6
1989	Coshking	Gopak	Sea Legend	2:33.3
1988	Copatonic	Tawrrific	Centose	2:35.0