Caravel scores front-running win in Intercontinental Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y. – Caravel made it five wins in a row against her own kind when leading nearly every step of the way to register a one-length decision over the improving Star Devine in Friday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes at Belmont Park.
Caravel has not lost a race against fillies and mares since finishing third in the License Fee here more than 13 months earlier. All four of her losses during that period came against males, including a third-place finish last summer in the Grade 1 Highlander at Woodbine.
Caravel, who joined trainer Brad Cox’s barn following the conclusion of her 2021 campaign, took control of the Intercontinental less than a sixteenth of a mile into the six-furlong turf dash and rated kindly on the front end under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Caravel disposed of her closest early pursuer, Illegal Smile, passing through midstretch, edged clear, then held the advantage under steady urging to the end.
Star Devine, with only five previous starts on her resume and just one since August at Saratoga, saved ground while well placed from the outset, continued willingly near the inside, and outlasted the fast-closing Jouster by a nose to be second best.
:: Get ready for Saratoga and Del Mar with a Quarterly subscription to DRF Past Performances
Caravel, a 5-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast, completed the distance in 1:07.59 over the firm going and paid $7.90 as the favorite. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.
The Intercontinental was the second Grade 3 victory for Caravel and came in her third start for Cox. She kept her record perfect over synthetic surfaces when launching her 2022 season winning the Queen Stakes at Turfway Park before finishing sixth after racing in the boggier going near the rail when facing the boys in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint five weeks ago at Churchill Downs.
“I was a little surprised to see her on the lead, I thought there might be one or two in front of her,” Cox said. “They were kind of well grouped at first, then she kind of placed herself in front. I thought it was a good spot, and when I saw the 22 and two, I thought it was pretty comfortable, and it left her enough to finish up with.”
Cox said her victory in the Queens Stakes to launch the campaign was impressive enough to try her back with males once again last month in the Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs.
“I thought the race at Turfway was a good place to start her off with since she had some experience on the synthetic, and she ran well enough to give us the confidence to try the boys again,” Cox explained. “Obviously, it didn’t work out, but nobody was kicking down near the inside at Churchill at all that day, so I don’t know if it was running against the boys or where she was on the turf course that day. But I think she showed today she’s one of the best in her division – filly and mare sprinters – in the country.