Are you trying to find all of the basic information for the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes and are having difficulties? There are a few key reasons why Americans might be having trouble looking for information that is relevant to this first 2013 Kentucky Derby prep race. Mainly, this race is held in Newmarket, England and this means horse racing terms and culture vary enough to throw off the amateur track hound.
However, with a few hours of internet research, the basic facts relevant to the 2012 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at the Rowley Mile Racecourse emerge.
1. How to find 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes information
Since the Royal Lodge Stakes for 2012 is the first race that will matter in the new 2013 Kentucky Derby contender selection process, you would think that newspapers in America would be covering the topic and pointing readers to all of the basic facts. Sadly, there is not a lot of focus in the United States on this newly important horse race. To find all of the basic information that you will need, go to the NewmarketRacecourses.co.uk website.
2. Americans need this word for Royal Lodge Stakes searches
In America, we would refer to something like the Kentucky Derby as an event. Interestingly, in England, the Newmarket Racecourses website lists some of their horse racing events as, "fixtures." Knowing this minor detail certainly helps speed up the process of finding the details you need to know about the race.
3. 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes is not alone
One of the reasons why you may be having trouble finding information about this particular race is due to the fact that it is part of a larger event. The name of this multiple day fixture at the Rowley Mile Racecourse is the Cambridgeshire Festival. Included in the festival are the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes and the Cheveley Park Stakes.
4. What is the date for the 2012 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes?
As part of the Cambridgeshire Festival, the Royal Lodge Stakes 2012 event will be part of the Saturday Betfred Cambridgeshire Day on September 29. The date for the 2011 race was September 24.
5. What time does the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes begin?
It is the last race of the day and racing begins at 2 p.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m. What time is this event if you want to watch it live from New York City? Since Newmarket, England is close to London, it is safe to say that the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes will be five hours ahead of NYC. For instance, if the Royal Lodge Stakes begins at 5 p.m., this means it will be noon in NYC.
6. What is the importance of the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes?
The current purse for the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes is £1 million British pounds ($1,618,500). Regardless, the reason that most people in America will be watching the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes is because it is the first event of the 2013 Kentucky Derby prep race season. In the new point system for Kentucky Derby contenders, 10 points will be awarded to the winner of the Royal Lodge Stakes.
The second most important fact is that this is a race with horses that are the newest and the youngest. For this reason, the outcome might predict the future of horse racing, but the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes results it will be extremely unpredictable.
7. Why is information on the Royal Lodge Stakes inconsistent?
The Royal Lodge Stakes was first inaugurated in 1946 at the Ascot Racecourse and was temporarily moved to the Rowley Mile in Newmarket, England starting around 2005. In 2011, the race was permanently moved to the Rowley Mile Racecourse. The Royal Lodge Stakes can cause fret for the online handicapping researcher since this event is sometimes used for the English Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Challenge.
8. Who are the past winners of the Royal Lodge Stakes?
When horse racing fans review the list of Royal Lodge Stakes past winners, they soon realized that this is one of the places where top performers get their start. For instance, Daddy Long Legs was a US Triple Crown Contender in 2012 and the 2011 Royal Lodge Stakes was one of the first in his ongoing championship performances.
2011 Daddy Long Legs
2010 Frankel
2009 Joshua Tree
2008 Jukebox Jury
2007 City Leader
2006 Admiralofthefleet
2005 Leo
2004 Perfectperformance
2003 Snow Ridge
2002 Al Jadeed
2001 Mutinyonthebounty
9. Contenders for the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes
Most of the horses that are racing in the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes are from Ireland, but some are from the United States. In particular, Americans that are supporting the home team should look for Afonso De Sousa, Artigiano and Lines of Battle. Altogether, 18 Thoroughbreds will be participating in the race. The complete list of contenders for the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes 2012 include:
Afonso De Sousa
Al Waab
Artigiano
Birdman
Ebn Arab
Excess Knowledge
Eye of The Storm
Fantastic Moon
Havana Gold
Lines Of Battle
Lord of The Garter
Mocenigo
One Word More
Steeler
The Ferryman
Toronado
Trading Leather
Unsinkable
10. Special guest at the 2012 Cambridgeshire Festival
If you can attend the Group 2 (Grade II) Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes in person, you will get a chance to me the horse that won this race in 2010. An extremely popular celebrity in England that has a taste of Black Caviar and Zenyatta's spotlight, Frankel will be doing a public gallop for his fans. The excitement starts at 1 p.m. on the same day as the 2012 Royal Lodge Stakes.
More from this Contributor:
Why is the First Kentucky Derby Prep Race in Newmarket, England?: Fan's View
Dates, 2012-2013 Kentucky Derby Prep Races: Fan's View
Will the 2013 Kentucky Derby Changes Work in Louisville?: Fan's View
Maryam Louise is a longtime resident of the Bluegrass State and has lived in the shadows of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky over the past two decades. In addition to being a fan of horse racing, she has also had a chance to get to know jockeys, horse groomers, and betting clerks as an ESL instructor. Currently, she writes for KentuckyDerby.org and relies on her friends in the multiple facets of the equine industry for writing inspiration.
