After beating up on the boys, Caravel back with females in the Unbridled Sidney
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Back with her own kind, Caravel figures a tough customer Friday as the solid favorite in the $300,000 Unbridled Sidney over the Churchill Downs turf.
Caravel, a 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred, ended 2022 with a 42-1 upset of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and began 2023 with a gritty triumph last month in the Grade 2 Shakertown. Both races were against male rivals on the Keeneland turf.
Now comes a return to the filly-mare ranks. Brad Cox, who trains Caravel for a three-way partnership, can’t help but think the gray mare will be difficult to get past, especially with her post assignment. She’ll break from post 11 in a field of 12 going 5 1/2 furlongs.
“I do like the draw,” said Cox. “She’s back in with the girls, and although it is a solid race, we’re hoping she’ll win again and that’ll set us up for a next start at Royal Ascot.”
Caravel will have Tyler Gaffalione aboard when she looks for her 14th victory in just her 22nd start. Curiously enough, she has never finished second, although it sure looked like she might in the Shakertown when a swarm of would-be upsetters took their shots in deep stretch. She finished a head in front of longshot Bad Beat Brian as the top four finishers were all separated by less than a length.
“She’s super consistent and very game,” said Cox.
With her superior turn of foot – she led throughout in the BC Turf Sprint and earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure – Caravel will make life difficult for the other speed signed on here. Her top threats actually might be a pair who can rally from off the pace, Bay Storm and Oeuvre.
Bay Storm (post 1, John Velazquez), turning back from slightly longer races following an 11-week respite, could present the strongest challenge if ready to fire her best shot for trainer Jonathan Thomas. She, too, has been a model of consistency, having finished worse than third only once in 13 starts and facing high-end company in this niche on both coasts.
The Illinois-bred Oeuvre (post 8, Jared Loveberry), like Caravel, has been a win machine. Yes, her 10-for-17 record was compiled mostly against lesser foes than she’ll face Friday, but her Beyers compare favorably with all the others except for Caravel’s best, and her stalking style could serve her well if stern early pressure is applied to the favorite. Her ninth-place finish in the Giant’s Causeway last month at Keeneland came with a minor excuse as she was not away as quickly as usual, then was jostled out of position.
This is the 13th running of the Unbridled Sidney, named for the speedy Ronny Werner-trained turf-sprint specialist who formerly held the Churchill record for five furlongs. It leads off a 50-cent pick four wager (races 8-11) that ends with the Kentucky Oaks. Post time for the eighth of 13 races is 3:03 p.m. Eastern.
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