LEXINGTON, Ky. — When 13-10 favorite and defending titlist Golden Pal missed the break in Saturday’s $920,000 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Keeneland, anything from there was possible. Inheriting the lead was 42-1 outsider Caravel, who fended off multiple challenges, including one from Emaraaty Ana in deep stretch, to shock the 5 1/2-furlong dash by a half-length.
Caravel was ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, who earned his belated first Breeders’ Cup win in Friday’s Juvenile Fillies (G1) after a prolonged drought. The gray mare was wheeling back three weeks after taking the Franklin (G3), a course-and-distance fixture restricted to fillies and mares.
“She was doing extremely, extremely well,” said trainer Brad Cox, who trains Caravel for the partnership of Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel, and Madaket Stable. “She’s a filly that has had a hard time keeping on weight and since the end of the summer, she’s really blossomed. We decided to take a swing and it worked out.”
Caravel set fractions of :21.91 and :44.25, and then finished up in 1:01.79 over firm ground. Her win mutuel was $87.78.
Emaraaty Ana, sent off at 21-1, was well placed throughout but couldn’t catch the winner while attempting to rally up the inside. European raiders Creative Force and second choice Highfield Princess landed the third and fourth slots, and were followed by Artemus Citylimits, Flotus, Campanelle, Arrest Me Red, Casa Creed, Golden Pal, Cazadero, Go Bears Go, Oceanic, and Naval Crown.
The Turf Sprint was the 12th win in 20 career starts for the five-year-old Caravel, who has now won 10 stakes overall. Originally trained by breeder Elizabeth Merryman, Caravel earned her first graded win in the 2021 edition of the Caress (G3) at Saratoga. She subsequently made three starts for Graham Motion, including a last-of-12 finish in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. Earlier this season, after joining the Cox stable, Caravel captured the Queen S. at Turfway Park, the Intercontinental (G3) at Belmont Park, and the Smart N Fancy S. at Saratoga.
Bred in Pennsylvania, Caravel is by Mizzen Mast and out of the Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom, who has also reared the multiple stakes-winning Witty.