Caravel gives trainer Merryman first graded win; will be transferred to Motion

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Caravel will be leaving Elizabeth Merryman’s barn Sunday morning, but the 4-year-old filly gave her a sweet going away present, rolling by Robin Sparkles in the final furlong and drawing clear to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Caress Stakes at Saratoga.

It was Merryman’s first win in a graded stakes and her first win in Saratoga.

“It’s pretty great, it’s pretty amazing,” said Merryman, who is based in Maryland. “You watch Saratoga and just think that’s the place to be and to come up here with a filly like that is pretty amazing.”

In Good Spirits also collared Robin Sparkles late, to get second by a half-length. Robin Sparkles was third, followed by Tass, Flower Point, and Jakarta.

Jakarta raced for purse-money only after a miscommunication between trainer Mike Maker and the racing office prompted the filly to be listed as a scratch when changes were initially announced. The stewards deemed it was only fair to allow the mare to race, but not be offered for wagering purposes since the scratch had been made public.

Caravel, a winner of six of eight starts entering the Caress, was the darling of the bettors, being sent off the even-money favorite. Merryman was the trainer, breeder, and owner of Caravel until celebrity chef Bobby Flay bought 75 percent interest in her following Caravel’s victory in the Goldwood Stakes at Monmouth Park.

As part of the condition of sale, Caravel will now be transferred to Graham Motion. Merryman will retain 25 percent interest.

“Graham is in the next barn to me at Fair Hill,” Merryman said. “It’ll all be good.

“The goal is the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and Graham has so much experience going that route, it seemed like a really smart thing to do from my perspective as well. Not that I don’t think I could handle it, I just think with the change in ownership, he has a system that works great and he’s been through all that. It’ll be a good way to go.”

Motion will certainly be getting a 4-year-old filly by Mizzen Mast with a terrific turn of foot. Saturday, under Irad Ortiz Jr., Caravel sat third, three lengths off the early pace established by Robin Sparkles, who ran a quarter in 21.64 seconds and a half-mile in 44.58.

When Ortiz angled Caravel in the clear turning for home and asked her to run, “she gave me a really good kick,” he said. “Big turn of foot. [Robin Sparkles] didn’t come back, my filly just went by her.”

Caravel covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.38 over turf labeled firm and returned $4. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

Ortiz was riding Caravel for the first time, and Merryman just had simple instructions for Ortiz.

“I said be as quiet as you can be leaving the gate, the least twitch of your reins and she’s going so just quiet, quiet, quiet,” Merryman said.