Caravel (horse) explained

Horsename:Caravel
Sire:Mizzen Mast
Grandsire:Cozzene
Dam:Kinema
Damsire:Congrats
Sex:Mare
Foaled:March 1, 2017[1]
Country:United States
Colour:Gray or Roan
Breeder:Elizabeth M. Merryman
Owner:1. Elizabeth M. Merryman (2017Jul 2021)
2. Elizabeth M. Merryman & Bobby Flay (Jul 2021Nov 2021)
3. Qatar Racing & Marc Detampel (Nov 2021Apr 2022)
4. Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel & Madaket Stables (Apr 2022Early 2024)
5. Resolute Bloodstock (Early 2024)
Trainer:1. Elizabeth M. Merryman (2017Jul 2021)
2. H. Graham Motion (Jul 2021Nov 2021)
3. Brad H. Cox (Nov 2021Dec 2023)
Record:26: 15–1–3
Earnings:$1,983,327[2]
Race: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)
Updated: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.[2]

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.[3] 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).[4] Zeezee Zoomzoom has produced another winner for Merryman, Tipsy Chatter. In 2023 Zeezee Zoomzoom was awarded the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association Broodmare of the Year.[5]

Elizabeth Merryman consigned Caravel to the 2020 October Wanamaker Sale after her fourth start but did not reach her reserve price of $330,000.[4] [2]

Ownership and training

Merryman trained Caravel in her first eight starts. In July 2021, she sold 75% interest in the horse to Bobby Flay.[4] Caravel won the Grade III Caress Stakes for the new partnership, and they then 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.[7] Madaket Stables joined the partnership after one event later in April 2022.

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. She then won three more events, with her only defeat over a mile at Pimlico in the Hilltop Stakes.[2]

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. 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.[7] She had two more starts in 2021, including a run in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar where she finished last in a field of twelve to Golden Pal. After the event, Caravel was auctioned.[7]

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. Her other wins were in the Grade III Intercontinental Stakes at Belmont Park and the Grade III Franklin Stakes at Keeneland. Her connections then entered 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 opened 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.[8]

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 Jaipur earned her a paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint since the stakes was part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" program.[9]

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.[10] 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.[10] However, in February 2024 it was reported that Resolute Bloodstock owner John Stewart privately purchased Caravel, and the mare would be shipped to England to be bred to undefeated champion Frankel.[11]

Statistics

DateDistanceRaceGradeTrackOddsFieldFinishWinning
Time
Winning
(Losing)
Margin
JockeyRef
2020 – three-year-old season
5 furlongsMaiden Special Weight Penn National28.001010:57.82[12]
5 furlongsAllowance Penn National2.80910:54.66[13]
6 furlongsLake Erie StakesPresque Isle Downs4.20611:10.08[14]
1 milePimlico3.101131:42.25 (3 lengths)[15]
furlongsMalvern Rose StakesRestrictedPresque Isle Downs0.70*611:15.40[16]
2021 – four-year-old season
6 furlongsLicense Fee Stakes ListedBelmont Park13.30 931:08.34 (lengths)[17]
5 furlongs ListedPimlico2.30*1210:56.21 nose[18]
5 furlongsGoldwood Stakes Monmouth Park1.90810:54.97[19]
furlongsCaress Stakes IIISaratoga1.00*611:02.38[20]
6 furlongs Highlander Stakes I Woodbine0.55*831:07.98(lengths)[21]
5 furlongs Turf Monster Stakes IIIParx Racing1.80*95†0:59.51(lengths)[22]
5 furlongs Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint I Del Mar17.4012120:55.22 (lengths)[23]
2022 – five-year-old season
6 furlongsQueen Stakes Turfway Park1.00*711:09.56 lengths[24]
furlongsTwin Spires Turf Sprint StakesIIChurchill Downs3.00*1361:04.18 (lengths)[25]
6 furlongsIntercontinental StakesIIIBelmont Park2.95*1111:07.59 1 length[26]
furlongsCaress Stakes IIISaratoga2.20*991:01.98(lengths)[27]
furlongsSmart N Fancy Stakes ListedSaratoga3.90911:01.92 length[28]
furlongsPresque Isle Downs Masters StakesIIPresque Isle Downs1.10*1141:14.57(lengths)[29]
furlongsFranklin StakesIIIKeeneland2.44*1111:02.59 lengths[30]
furlongsBreeders' Cup Turf SprintIKeeneland42.891411:01.79 length[31]
2023 – six-year-old season
furlongsShakertown StakesIIKeeneland2.15*1211:02.58 head[32]
furlongsListedChurchill Downs0.74*1011:02.47 lengths [33]
6 furlongsJaipur StakesIBelmont Park2.90*1411:07.83 length[34]
furlongsIIISaratoga0.55*741:03.70 (3 lengths)[35]
furlongsFranklin StakesII Keeneland0.72*821:02.42 (neck)[36]
5 furlongsISanta Anita4.6012100:55.15 (4 lengths)[37]
Legend:

Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Caravel was the post-time favourite.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pedigree of Caravel . Equineline . July 3, 2023.
  2. Web site: Profile of Caravel (PA) . www.equibase.com . 16 October 2023.
  3. Web site: Mizzen Mast's runners . Pedigree Thoroughbred Online Database . 5 July 2023.
  4. Web site: Rollins . Molly . Caravel's Success No Surprise to Merryman; MarketWatch Interview: Lizzie Merryman . bloodhorse.com . 5 July 2023 . 2 August 2021.
  5. Web site: Caravel Awarded Second PA-bred Horse of the Year Title; Caravel won five of eight starts at age 5 while always racing in stakes.. Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association . bloodhorse.com . 5 July 2023 . 16 May 2023.
  6. Web site: Oser . Christine . Caravel Notches First Graded Victory in Caress; Pennsylvania Horse of the Year to be trained by Graham Motion after purchase by Flay. . bloodhorse.com . 5 July 2023 . 24 July 2021.
  7. Web site: Caravel Named Top Midlantic-Bred of 2022; The Breeders' Cup proved decisive in the voting for top Midlantic-bred of the year.. The Racing Biz . bloodhorse.com . 5 July 2023 . 13 January 2023.
  8. Web site: Mitchell . Eric . Caravel Tops Males in Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Shocker; Race complexion changed when two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal broke last. . bloodhorse.com . 7 July 2023 . 5 November 2022.
  9. Web site: King . Byron . Caravel Wins Fifth Straight in Jaipur; The 6-year-old mare defeated world-class males once again in $400,000 Jaipur (G1T). . bloodhorse.com . 7 July 2023 . 10 June 2022.
  10. Web site: Retired Caravel to be Bred to Justify. King. Byron. 15 December 2023. The Blood-Horse. 15 December 2023.
  11. Web site: Caravel purchased by John Stewart; will be bred to Frankel. Russo. Nicole. 16 February 2024. Daily Racing Form. 20 February 2024.
  12. Web site: Chart of Maiden Special Weight June 24, 2020 at Penn National (race 2) . Equibase . July 29, 2020 . July 3, 2023.
  13. Web site: Chart of Allowance July 29, 2020 at Penn National (race 1) . Equibase . July 29, 2020 . July 3, 2023.
  14. Web site: Lake Erie Stakes Black Type – (Race 5) . Equibase . August 24, 2020 . July 3, 2023.
  15. Web site: Hilltop Stakes Black Type - (race 4) . Equibase . October 3, 2020 . July 3, 2023.
  16. Web site: Malvern Rose Stakes Black Type – (Race 5) . Equibase . October 20, 2020 . July 3, 2023.
  17. Web site: License Fee Stakes Listed - (race 9) . Equibase . May 14, 2021 . July 3, 2023.
  18. Web site: Goldwood Stakes The Very One Stakes Listed - (race 9) . Equibase . May 14, 2021 . July 3, 2023.
  19. Web site: Goldwood Stakes Black Type - (race 5) . Equibase . June 25, 2021 . July 3, 2023.
  20. Web site: Caress Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10) . Equibase . July 24, 2021 . July 3, 2023.
  21. Web site: Highlander Stakes Grade 1 - (race 11) . Equibase . 22 August 2021 . July 3, 2023.
  22. Web site: Turf Monster Stakes Grade 3 - (race 9) . Equibase . 26 September 2021 . July 3, 2023.
  23. Web site: Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Grade 1 - (race 5) . Equibase . 6 November 2021 . 10 November 2021.
  24. Web site: Queen Stakes Black Type – (Race 6) . Equibase . March 19, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  25. Web site: Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes presented by Sysco Grade 2 – (Race 10) . Equibase . May 6, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  26. Web site: Intercontinental Stakes Grade 3 – (Race 11) . Equibase . June 10, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  27. Web site: Caress Stakes Grade 3 - (race 10) . Equibase . July 23, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  28. Web site: Smart N Fancy Stakes (race 9) . Equibase . August 20, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  29. Web site: Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes Grade 2 – (Race 8) . Equibase . September 19, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  30. Web site: Franklin Stakes Grade 3 – (Race 7) . Equibase . October 16, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  31. Web site: Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Grade 1 – (Race 4) . Equibase . November 5, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  32. Web site: Shakertown Stakes Grade 2 – (Race 8) . Equibase . April 8, 2023 . July 3, 2023.
  33. Web site: Unbridled Sidney Stakes presented by Turfway Park Racing & Gaming Listed – (Race 8) . Equibase . May 5, 2023 . July 3, 2023.
  34. Web site: Jaipur Stakes Grade 1 – (Race 9) . June 10, 2023 . July 3, 2023.
  35. Web site: Troy Stakes Grade 3 – (Race 6) . August 5, 2023 . August 5, 2023.
  36. Web site: Franklin Stakes Grade 2 – (Race 7) . Equibase . October 15, 2023 . October 16, 2023.
  37. Web site: Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Grade 1 – (Race 10) . Equibase . November 4, 2023 . November 6, 2023.