The Lexus Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club

Victoria Racing Club

The Victoria Racing Club was founded in 1864. It was formed following the disbanding of the Victoria Turf Club and the Victoria Jockey Club. A legacy passed from the Victoria Turf Club was the annual “race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Cup, which was first contested in 1861.From its...

 Group 3

Group races

Group races are the highest standard of Thoroughbred horseraces in Australia. The Australian Pattern Committee recommends to the Australian Racing Board which races shall be designated as Group races...

 Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horse race held under quality handicap conditions, for horses aged four years old and upwards, over a distance of 2500 metres. It is held at Flemington Racecourse

Flemington Racecourse

Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...

 in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 on Victoria Derby Day. Total prize money for the race is A$250,000 and $1,500 trophy. 1st $150,000 and a trophy of $1,500, 2nd $45,000, 3rd $22,500, 5th $6,250, 7th $5,000, 8th $5,000. This race has the Registered Name of Hotham Handicap.

Historically the race has been a traditional lead-up for the Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...

 three days later, with the winner gaining exemption from any ballot for entry to the Cup. Shocking won both races in 2009.

The race is also famous due to a triple dead-heat http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/triple-deadheat-in-the-1956-hotham-handicap/2006/11/03/1162340052531.html in 1956 involving Fighting Force, Ark Royal and Pandie Sun.

As a "Quality Race", the weights are assigned as in a handicap, but with a maximum weight of 60 kg and a minimum weight of 52 kg.

Distance

1869 - 1971 held over 12 furlongs (approx. 2400m)

1972 onwards held over 2500m

Class

1869–1978 was a Principal Race

1979–1980 was a Group 3

1981–2003 was a Group 2

2004 onwards Group 3

Name

1869 - 1978 the race was known as the ‘Hotham Handicap’

1979 - 1993 the race was known as ‘The Dalgety’

1994 - 1995 the race was known as the ‘Crown Quality’

1996 the race was known as the ‘Ten News Stakes’

1997 the race was known as the ‘Lean Cuisine Quality’

1998 - 2008 the race was known as the ‘Saab Quality’

From 2009 the race will be known as the Lexus Stakes.

The winners

• 2011 - Niwot
• 2010 - Maluckyday
• 2009 - Shocking
  Shocking
  Shocking is an Australian bred Thoroughbred racehorse, trained by Mark Kavanagh, who won the 149th Melbourne Cup on 3 November 2009 by three-quarters of a length.-Pedigree:...
  
  
• 2008 - Moatize
• 2007 - Sculptor
• 2006 - Maybe Better
  Maybe Better
  Maybe Better is an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2006 Group 3 Saab Quality and finished 3rd in the 2006 Melbourne Cup when ridden by Chris Munce. Maybe Better started in 29 races for 6 wins, 3 2nds and 2 3rds, with earnings of A$959,600....
  
  
• 2005 - Strasbourg
• 2004 - Don Raphael
• 2003 - Big Pat
• 2002 - Requiem
• 2001 - Maythehorsebewithu
• 2000 - Brew
  Brew (horse)
  Brew is a small, plain bay Thoroughbred gelding who won the 2000 Melbourne Cup for trainer Mike Moroney and jockey Kerrin McEvoy. Brew carried the lightweight of 49.5 kilos, and defeated the veteran Yippyio and the stablemate Second Coming...
  
  
• 1999 - The Warrior
• 1998 - Star Binder
• 1997 - Backslapper
• 1996 - Few Are Chosen
• 1995 - Coachwood
• 1994 - Pindi
• 1993 - Tennessee Jack
• 1992 - Big Barron
• 1991 - Rasheek
• 1990 - Mount Olympus
• 1989 - Coshking
• 1988 - Copatonic
• 1987 - Scarvila
• 1986 - Sea Legend
• 1985 - Silver Award
• 1984 - Chagemar
• 1983 - Chagemar
• 1982 - Allez Bijou
• 1981 - Mr. Cromwell
• 1980 - Bohemian Grove
• 1979 - Karu
• 1978 - Jury
• 1977 - Major Till
• 1976 - Reckless
• 1975 - Suleiman
• 1974 - Think Big
  Think Big (horse)
  Think Big was a Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in Australia, winning the Melbourne Cup in both 1974 and 1975. Bred by the estate of the late L. A...
  
  
• 1973 - Daneson
• 1972 - Scotch And Dry
• 1971 - Not Again
• 1970 - Sudani
• 1969 - Tails
• 1968 - Raad
• 1967 - Midlander
• 1966 - Aveniam
• 1965 - Sail Away
• 1964 - Celero
• 1963 - River Seine
• 1962 - Le Storm

• 1961 - Oreka
• 1960 - Nilarco
• 1959 - Grand Garry
• 1958 - Baystone
• 1957 - Baron Boissier
• 1956 - Fighting Force / Ark Royal / Pandie Sun (dead heat)
• 1955 - Better Boy
• 1954 - Plato
• 1953 - My Hero
• 1952 - Morse Code
• 1951 - Glenvue
• 1950 - Thracian Lad
• 1949 - Foxzami
• 1948 - Howe
• 1947 - Dark Marne
• 1946 - Chaytor
• 1945 - Arduli
• 1944 - Sirius
• 1943 - Dark Felt
• 1942 - Dark Felt
• 1941 - Son Of Aurous
• 1940 - Dashing Cavalier
• 1939 - Catalogue
• 1938 - Spear Chief
• 1937 - Frill Prince
• 1936 - Balkan Prince
• 1935 - Sarcherie
• 1934 - Panto
• 1933 - Pretzel
• 1932 - Roc
• 1931 - White Nose
• 1930 - Cimbrian
• 1929 - Shadow King
• 1928 - Epilogue
• 1927 - Eridanus / Bicolor (dead heat)
• 1926 - Beedos
• 1925 - King Of Mirth
• 1924 - Lilypond
• 1923 - Englefield
• 1922 - King Ingoda
• 1921 - Wirriway
• 1920 - Luteplayer
• 1919 - Sea Bound
• 1918 - Court Jester
• 1917 - Lingle
• 1916 - Dame Quickly
• 1915 - Hush Money

• 1914 - Uncle Matt
• 1913 - Gladwyn
• 1912 - Lord Alwyne
• 1911 - Prizefighter
• 1910 - Flavian
• 1909 - Footpad
• 1908 - Moani
• 1907 - Tulkeroo
• 1906 - Invergordon
• 1905 - Demas
• 1904 - Elvo
• 1903 - Martyr
• 1902 - Sojourner
• 1901 - Ohio
• 1900 - War God
• 1899 - Miss Carbine
• 1898 - Plutus
• 1897 - Metford
• 1896 - Mischief
• 1895 - The Trier
• 1894 - Foxtail
• 1893 - Straightfire
• 1892 - Hopetoun
• 1891 - Pigeontoe
• 1890 - Grey Gown
• 1889 - Meteor
• 1888 - Mara
• 1887 - The Levite
• 1886 - Claptrap
• 1885 - Lesbia
• 1884 - Favo
• 1883 - Wallangra
• 1882 - Odd Trick
• 1881 - Saunterer
• 1880 - Wellington
• 1879 - Trump Yoss
• 1878 - Levant
• 1877 - The Vagabond
• 1876 - Troy
• 1875 - Kinchrachrie
• 1874 - Newbold
• 1873 - Imperial
• 1872 - Early Morn
• 1871 - Saladin
• 1870 - Nimblefoot
• 1869 - Aurora