Friday, September 29, 2017

Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes Racing Roundup

©2017 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The road to the 2017-2018 Kentucky Derby (G1) will span two continents this Saturday with the $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park and the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) at the Newmarket Racecourse Rowley Mile in Suffolk, England.
On Sunday, the European road to Derby glory continues with the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Group 1) at Chantilly Racecourse in Chantilly, France.
Let’s take a look at the Royal Lodge where Nelson has been tabbed as even money Twinspires.com morning line favorite. Post time for the Royal Lodge is 8:50 a.m. ET.
Nelson comes into this race with a 2-1-0 record in four starts for trainer Aiden O’Brien including a win in the Willis Towers Watson Champions Juvenile Stakes (Group 3).
Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

NELSON tracked leader in second until led after one furlong, ridden to extend advantage two furlongs out, clear approaching final furlong, stayed on strongly.

Frankel, the sire of Nelson, is a Classic Champion Thoroughbred that was undefeated in 14 starts including ten Group One victories with $4,789,144 in career earnings.
As a two year old, Frankel won his first two weight for age races and then won the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) and Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1).
Frankel won his debut as a three year old in the Totesport.com Greenham Stakes (Gr. 3) and then proceeded to finish out his racing season with nine Group One victories: QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas, St. James's Palace Stakes, QIPCO Sussex Stakes (twice), QIPCO Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, JLT Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Juddmonte International Stakes and the QIPCO Champion Stakes.
Nelson has an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he’s the best bred colt in this race.
Undefeated in two starts, Roaring Lion is a long shot I like at 9-2 morning line odds. He comes into this race for trainer John Gosden off of an impressive four-length win in the 32Red On The App Store/British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

ROARING LION pressed leader until led just over two furlongs out, ridden and asserted over one furlong out, ran green and hung left but ran on strongly inside final furlong, very readily.

Kitten’s Joy, the sire of Roaring Lion, was an outstanding router and multiple graded stakes winner who, in three racing seasons, compiled a 9-4-0 record in 14 starts with $2,075,791 in career earnings.
As a two year old, Kitten’s Joy was 2-1-0 in four starts with wins at 8½ and nine furlongs.
At the age of three, Kitten’s Joy was 6-2-0 in eight starts with wins in the Tropical Park Derby (G3), Palm Beach Stakes (G3), Crown Royal American Turf Stakes (G3), Virginia Derby (G3), Secretariat Stakes (G1) and the 12 furlong Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1).
As a four year old, Kitten’s Joy was 1-1-0 in two starts with a win in the Firecracker Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) and a second-place finish in the Arlington Million Stakes (G1).
Roaring Lion has a low Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® score but his Behavior Index makes him competitive and I look for him to run a good race.
Rounding out the field are Mildenberger (6-1), Midnight Wilde (60-1) and Petrus (20-1).
The Royal Lodge is the first of two races hosted by the United Kingdom Jockey Club with the second race, the Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Sakes, to be ran on March 1, 2018 at Kempton Park.


*****

This is the sixth consecutive year for Churchill Downs to use a point system to determine eligibility to get into the Kentucky Derby starting gate. A total of 36 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby and a significant change to the schedule is the addition of the Springboard Mile at Remington Park on December 17.
In addition to the Japan road to the Derby which features the Cattleya Sho Stakes (November 25), Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushan Stakes (December 13) and Hayacinth Stakes (February 2018), Churchill Downs has added a European road to Derby glory consisting of seven races: Juddmonte Beresford (September 24), Juddmonte Royal Lodge (September 30), Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (October 1), Racing Post Trophy (October 28, Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes (March 1), Patton (March 2) and the Burradon (March 30).


EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer
1. Saxon Warrior (JPN), 10, Aidan O’Brien
2. Delano Roosevelt (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien
3. Warm the Voice (IRE), 2, Brendan Duke
4. Kew Gardens (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien


2017/2018 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer
1. The Tabulator, 10, Larry Rivelli
2. Hollywood Star, 4, Dale Romans
3. Ten City, 2, Ken McPeek
4. Ebben, 1, Steve Margolis

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