Caravel, 2022 BC Turf Sprint winner, retired, will be bred to Justify
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Caravel, whose signature victory came in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, has officially been retired, and is expected to be bred to Triple Crown winner Justify in the upcoming breeding season.
The news on Pennsylvania-bred Caravel, first reported by Lancaster Farming, is unsurprising. The 6-year-old Mizzen Mast mare was a $2.4 million buyback at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, with information on her future plans not immediately available that week.
Caravel has been owned since November 2021 by Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables, who have elected to retain her for broodmare duty for the time being, rather than negotiating a private sale. Fergus Galvin, U.S. racing manager for Qatar, is a managing partner in Hunter Valley Farm in Versailles, Ky., where Caravel has spent breaks from the racetrack and where she will now begin her career as a broodmare.
“The ownership group has very much kept me in the loop, and it’s been a lot of fun enjoying her successes,” breeder Elizabeth Merryman, who initially raced Caravel, told Lancaster Farming. “I’m so glad that she’s at Hunter Valley because I know the way she has wintered there the last few winters. She’s loved it there.”
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Triple Crown winner Justify, who is based at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky, has been a prolific sire on both dirt and turf, although he never raced on the latter. That makes him an attractive match for a turf specialist such as Caravel. The mare's dam, Zeezee Zoomzoom, is currently in foal to Justify. Merryman had entered the mare at the Keeneland November sale, but ultimately opted to withdraw and retain her.
Caravel retires with a record of 26-15-1-3 and earnings of $1,983,327. Her 13 career stakes victories include two Grade 1 triumphs against males - in the 2022 Turf Sprint at Keeneland, and in this year's Jaipur Stakes at Belmont. She made three appearances at the Breeders' Cup, finishing 10th in this year's Turf Sprint at Santa Anita a few days prior to her trip through the ring at Keeneland.
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