Caravel (horse)

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.

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. 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). 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.

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

Ownership and training
Merryman trained Caravel in her first eight starts. In July 2021, she sold 75% interest in the horse to Bobby Flay. Caravel won the Grade III Caress Stakes for the new partnership, and they then sent her to trainer H. Graham Motion.

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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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.

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.

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. 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. 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.

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