Caravel (horse)

Last updated
Caravel
Caravel horse.jpg
Caravel right before the 2023 Breeders Cup Turf Sprint
SireMizzen Mast
Grandsire Cozzene
DamKinema
DamsireCongrats
Sex Mare
FoaledMarch 1, 2017 [1]
CountryUnited States
Colour Gray or Roan
BreederElizabeth M. Merryman
Owner1. Elizabeth M. Merryman (2017 Jul 2021)
2. Elizabeth M. Merryman & Bobby Flay (Jul 2021 Nov 2021)
3. Qatar Racing & Marc Detampel (Nov 2021 Apr 2022)
4. Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel & Madaket Stables (Apr 2022 Early 2024)
5. Resolute Bloodstock (Early 2024 ) [2]
Trainer1. Elizabeth M. Merryman (2017 Jul 2021)
2. H. Graham Motion (Jul 2021 Nov 2021)
3. Brad H. Cox (Nov 2021 Dec 2023)
Record26: 15–1–3
Earnings$1,983,327 [3]
Major wins
Caress Stakes (2021)
Intercontinental Stakes (2022)
Franklin Stakes (2022)
Shakertown Stakes (2023)
Jaipur Stakes (2023)
Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (2022)
Awards
Pennsylvania Horse of the Year
Champion Three Year Old Filly (2020)
Older Female, Female Sprinter and Turf Female (2023)
Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll (2022)
Last updated on 20 February 2024

Caravel (foaled March 1, 2017) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse. She won 15 races in her career, of which 13 were stakes races. Her top victories were in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in 2022 and the Grade I Jaipur Stakes in 2023. [3]

Contents

Background

Caravel is a gray or roan mare who was home bred in Pennsylvania by Elizabeth Merryman. Caravel was sired by Mizzen Mast who stood at Juddmonte Farms and in 2021 was pensioned. He had sired twelve Grade/Group 1 winners. [4] Her dam Zeezee Zoomzoom was by Congrats but her dam (Zee Zee) was by Exchange Rate. Zee Zee won the Edgewood Stakes and was graded stakes-placed (Lake George Stakes, Regret Stakes), ran in the Breeders' Cup (Monmouth Park in 2008). [5] Zeezee Zoomzoom has produced another winner for Merryman, Tipsy Chatter. [6] In 2023 Zeezee Zoomzoom was awarded the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association Broodmare of the Year. [7]

Elizabeth Merryman consigned Caravel to the 2020 October Wanamaker Sale after her fourth start but did not reach her reserve price of $330,000. [5] [3]

Ownership and training

Elizabeth Merryman trained Caravel and raced Caravel in her first eight starts. In July 2021, Merryman sold 75% interest in Caravel to Bobby Flay. [5] Caravel won the Grade III Caress Stakes for the new partnership and after the win they sent her to trainer H. Graham Motion. [6]

After three starts, Caravel was sold for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale in November 2021 at Keeneland to Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel who transferred her to the barn of Brad H. Cox. [8] Madaket Stables joined the partnership after one event later in April 2022. [9] [10]

Career highlights

Caravel did not compete as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old, she was kept mostly in Pennsylvania, where she broke her maiden, by Merryman. [11] She continued winning three more events, with her only defeat over a mile at Pimlico in the Hilltop Stakes. [3]

As a four-year-old, Caravel opened her campaign in the Listed License Fee Stakes at Belmont Park. After leading, she weakened in the straight, finishing third to the French-bred She's My Type. [12] Caravel then won three straight events, culminating with her first Graded stakes victory in the G3 Caress Stakes at Saratoga. [6] After transferring to trainer H. Graham Motion following her Saratoga effort, she ran third at her first attempt in a Grade I event, the Highlander Stakes at Woodbine in Canada. [8] She had two more starts in 2021, including a run in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar where she finish last in a field of twelve to Golden Pal. [13] After the event, Caravel was auctioned off. [8]

In 2022, she began her five-year-old season with a victory for her new owners on the All-Weather track at Turfway Park in the Queen Stakes. [9] Her other wins were in the Grade III Intercontinental Stakes at Belmont Park and the Grade III Franklin Stakes at Keeneland. The win at Keeneland gave her connection reason to enter her in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which was held at the same track a few weeks later.

In the Turf Sprint, Caravel started as a 43/1 longshot. The race did not unfold as anticipated, with jockey Tyler Gaffalione expecting to be in a stalking position behind Golden Pal, but the heavy favorite was shuffling around right before the gates sprang and was back in 14th at the break. Caravel quickly found herself in the lead and continued to fend off her opposition, winning by a half-length in 1:01.79. [14]

As a six-year-old, Caravel continued her winning streak, defeating her male counterparts in the GIII Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland and winning her second Grade I event at Belmont Park in the Jaipur Stakes. Originally it was planned to send her to Royal Ascot, but connections decided to stay in the US. Her victory in the event earned a paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with the Jaipur Stakes part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" program. [15]

The 2023 Jaipur was Caravel's final win, as she finished fourth in the Troy Stakes and second in the Franklin Stakes before failing to defend her Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint title, finishing tenth in the 12-horse field. Following the Breeders' Cup, she was sent to the auction ring at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where a final bid of $2.4 million was not enough to reach her reserve price. [16] The following month, Caravel was retired; initially, Qatar Racing's Fergus Galvin said that she would be bred in 2024 to Triple Crown champion Justify. [16] However, in February 2024 it was reported that Resolute Bloodstock owner John Stewart privately purchased Caravel, and that the mare would instead be shipped to England to be bred to undefeated champion Frankel. [2]

Statistics

DateDistanceRaceGradeTrackOddsFieldFinishWinning
Time
Winning
(Losing)
Margin
JockeyRef
2020 – three-year-old season
Jul 24, 2020Maiden Special Weight Penn National 28.001010:57.82Inoel Beato [11]
Jul 29, 2020Allowance [lower-alpha 1] Penn National 2.80910:54.66Inoel Beato [17]
Aug 24, 2020Lake Erie Stakes Presque Isle Downs 4.20611:10.08Pablo Morales [18]
Oct 3, 2020 Hilltop Stakes Pimlico 3.101131:42.25 Paco Lopez [19]
Oct 22, 2020Malvern Rose Stakes Presque Isle Downs 0.70*611:15.40Pablo Morales [20]
2021 – four-year-old season
Apr 30, 2021License Fee Stakes Belmont Park 13.30931:08.34Nik Juarez [12]
May 14, 2021 The Very One Stakes Pimlico 2.30*1210:56.21 Florent Geroux [21]
Jun 25, 2021Goldwood Stakes Monmouth Park 1.90810:54.97Pablo Morales [22]
Jul 24, 2021 Caress Stakes Saratoga 1.00*611:02.38 Irad Ortiz Jr. [23]
Aug 22, 2021 Highlander Stakes Woodbine 0.55*831:07.98 Irad Ortiz Jr. [24]
Sep 26, 2021 Turf Monster Stakes Parx Racing 1.80*95† [lower-alpha 3] 0:59.51 Jose L. Ortiz [25]
Nov 6, 2021 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Del Mar 17.4012120:55.22 Jose L. Ortiz [13]
2022 – five-year-old season
Mar 19, 2022Queen Stakes Turfway Park 1.00*711:09.56Gerrado Corrales [9]
May 6, 2022 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes Churchill Downs 3.00*1361:04.18 Tyler Gaffalione [10]
Jun 10, 2022 Intercontinental Stakes Belmont Park 2.95*1111:07.59 Tyler Gaffalione [26]
Jul 23, 2022 Caress Stakes Saratoga 2.20*991:01.98 Tyler Gaffalione [27]
Aug 20, 2022Smart N Fancy Stakes Saratoga 3.90911:01.92 Luis Saez [28]
Sep 19, 2022 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes Presque Isle Downs 1.10*1141:14.57 [lower-alpha 4] Luis Saez [29]
Oct 16, 2022 Franklin Stakes Keeneland 2.44*1111:02.59 Tyler Gaffalione [30]
Nov 5, 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint [lower-alpha 5] Keeneland 42.891411:01.79 Tyler Gaffalione [31]
2023 – six-year-old season
Apr 8, 2023 Shakertown Stakes [lower-alpha 6] Keeneland 2.15*1211:02.58 Tyler Gaffalione [32]
May 5, 2023 Unbridled Sidney Stakes Churchill Downs 0.74*1011:02.47 Tyler Gaffalione [33]
Jun 10, 2023 Jaipur Stakes [lower-alpha 7] Belmont Park 2.90*1411:07.83 Tyler Gaffalione [34]
Aug 5, 2023 Troy Stakes [lower-alpha 8] Saratoga 0.55*741:03.70 Tyler Gaffalione [35]
Oct 15, 2023 Franklin Stakes Keeneland 0.72*821:02.42 Tyler Gaffalione [36]
Nov 4, 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Santa Anita 4.6012100:55.15 Tyler Gaffalione [37]

Legend:
  All Weather Track  Dirt  Turf
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Caravel was the post-time favourite.

  1. The allowance event was restricted to Pennsylvania bred thoroughbreds
  2. The Malvern Rose Stakes is restricted to Pennsylvania Bred thoroughbreds
  3. In the Turf Monster Stakes, Caravel finished sixth in a dead heat with Caratori. The winner Hollywood Talent was later disqualified for a positive test and placed ninth. Subsequently Caravel was promoted to fifth place and earned equal fifth prizemoney of $8,200
  4. The winner of Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes, Artie's Princess set a track record of the 6+12furlong distance
  5. The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is an event without sex restriction. Caravel faced male horses
  6. The Shakertown Stakes is an event without sex restriction. Caravel faced male horses
  7. The Jaipur Stakes is an event without sex restriction. Caravel faced male horses
  8. The Troy Stakes is an event without sex restriction. Caravel faced male horses

Pedigree

Pedigree of Caravel, Gray or Roan Mare, March 1, 2017 [1]
Sire
Mizzen Mast
(1998)
Cozzene
(1980)
Caro (IRE)
(1967)
Fortino II (FR) (1959)
Chambord (GB) (1955)
Ride the Trails
(1971)
Prince John (1953)
Wildwook (1965)
Kinema
(1983)
Graustark
(1963)
Ribot (GB) (1964)
Flower Bowl (1965)
Mrs. Peterkin
(1965)
Tom Fool (1949)
Lagendra (1944)
Dam
Zeezee Zoomzoom
(2012)
Congrats
(2000)
A.P. Indy
(1989)
Seattle Slew (1974)
Weekend Surprise (1980)
Praise
(1994)
Mr. Prospector (1970)
Wild Applause (1981)
Zee Zee
(2005)
Exchange Rate
(1997)
Danzig (1977)
Sterling Pound (1991)
Emblem Of Hope
(2000)
Dynaformer (1985)
Touch of Honor (1993) (family 2b) [38]

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References

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  2. 1 2 Russo, Nicole (16 February 2024). "Caravel purchased by John Stewart; will be bred to Frankel". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
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