Caravel wins Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
Flying grey mare Caravel carried the Qatar Racing silks to victory in the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Saturday, part of a Breeders’ Cup weekend treble for Qatar Racing.
When Shedaresthedevil – part owned by Qatar Racing – went through the rings for $5m at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale there was another piece of business that might have slipped under the radar at the time. Hunter Valley Farms’ Fergus Galvin signed for Gr.3 winner Caravel at $500,000 – on Saturday she went on to cause a 43/1 surprise in the $1m Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint for owners Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables LLC.
Caravel had won a second Gr.3 on her previous start before the Breeders’ Cup but was lining up against multiple Gr.1 winners Highfield Princess and Campanelle, as well as Gr.1 winner and hot favourite Golden Pal, on Saturday.
Under Tyler Gaffalione – who until Friday, when he scored on Wonder Wheel, had never ridden a Breeders’ Cup winner – Caravel broke well, cut inside the to the rail and shot nearly 2 lengths clear with 1½f to run. She ran on gamely to make all from previous Gr.1 winners Emaraaty Ana and Creative Force, with Highfield Princess another length behind in fourth.
Caravel, a 5-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast, hadn’t run in Gr.1 company since finishing only 12th in this race at Del Mar 12 months earlier.
Trainer Brad Cox said: "She was running back in 20 days but had a race over the course. She was doing extremely, extremely well.
"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."
The victory was celebrated by the Qatar Racing team in attendance, including Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and racing manager David Redvers. As were wins at the meeting for Business Model (Brendan Walsh) on Friday and Nakatomi (Wesley Ward) on Saturday – both also ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.
David Redvers said: "A huge amount of credit to Fergus Galvin and the team at Hunter Valley, who found her and saw her potential.
"Marc Detampel has been a longtime partner and a great friend. There's nothing quite as much as fun as doing it with friends, and we're very lucky to have great friends, great resources with Sheikh Fahad. And it's all about the party now!"
Also over the weekend, at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale, Shedaresthedevil sold again for $5m (to Whisper Hill Farm LLC) and another Qatar Racing-owned Gr.1 winner, Ocean Road, sold for £1.625m (to JS Company Ltd).