Reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Caravel will aim to bounce back from an increasingly rare misfire in her most recent start in Sunday’s $350,000 Franklin (G2) at Keeneland.
Caravel last competed in the Aug. 5 Troy (G3) at Saratoga, in which she started as the odds-on favorite. Unaccustomed to running on soft ground and bumped leaving the gate, Caravel fell farther off the pace than normal and failed to fire in the stretch. She finished fourth, beaten three lengths by Cogburn.
Caravel had won five straight beforehand, including the Franklin (then Grade 3), Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, and Shakertown over the Keeneland sod. She also notched a second Grade 1, the Jaipur at Belmont Park, in June.
Eight fillies and mares were entered to oppose Caravel. One of the more logical threats is Bay Storm, who comes in off back-to-back stakes wins at Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs. She had previously run second to Caravel in the May 5 Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill Downs.
Twilight Gleaming has plenty of local back class, having counted the April 15 Giant’s Causeway S. among her four career stakes wins. However, the Wesley Ward charge trailed all but one home in the King’s Stand (G1) at Royal Ascot two back, and also finished near the back in the Daisycutter H. at Del Mar after a troubled trip.
Grade 2 winner Wakanaka shortens back up to 5 1/2 furlongs after placing in the Just a Game (G1), Caress (G3), and Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) in her last three. Tony Ann was narrowly beaten in both the Daisycutter and Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs, while European invader Star Guest will get a class test after taking a pair of minor handicaps at Newmarket over the summer.
