The Craven Stakes was first run in 1771, an all-age conditions stakes, as part of the inaugural Craven Meeting. It was the creation of the 6th Baron Craven (1738-91), who incidentally built a cottage in Fulham, whose name Craven Cottage is well known by football fans to this day.
The Cravens were significant Berkshire landowners and they liked racing. The 3rd Baron organised race meetings in the vicinity of Wantage as early as 1727 and at Lambourn from 1734. He was assisted by his younger brother Fulwar, later the 4th Baron. Both were probably among the very early Jockey Club members. Subsequent Barons kept the Lambourn races going and were active at Newmarket. The 7th Baron gained promotion and he became the 1st Earl in 1801.
The 3rd Earl, who took the title in 1866, was a steward at numerous National Hunt meetings in and around London, although he could not possibly have attended them all.
The conditions of Newmarket’s Craven Stakes had changed over time, and substantially after 1877 when it was a humble claimer that was the subject of a walkover. After that it became a mile colts’ race that served as a warm-up for the 2,000 Guineas, although its star has faded somewhat since horses can be made fit to run in the Guineas without a preparatory race. The Craven-Guineas double has not been achieved since 2004, although Masar went on to win the Derby in 2018.
If asked, “Which horse won the Craven Stakes three times?” many will twig it is a trick question, but few will know without resorting to Wikipedia that it was Woodpecker in 1778-79-81.
I have not attemped to enumerate any other courses’ Craven Stakes.
Information about the Cravens and racing in Berkshire can be found in Free Rein, by Penelope Stokes (2005).
See also John Slusar’s limited-edition publication Lambourn Stables History pp5-9.