Caravel shows she's still the queen of Keeneland with victory in Shakertown Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Caravel returned to the site of her biggest victory and picked up right where she left off. The gray mare lasted all the way on the lead to win Saturday's Grade 2, $350,000 Shakertown Stakes, turning back Bad Beat Brian for a head victory in her season debut.

Caravel ($6.30) won the Grade 3 Franklin County last October at Keeneland before a tenacious front-running score in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 5 at the same course. She had been slated to sell at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale the following week, but owners Sheikh Fahad Al Thani's's Qatar Racing, Madaket Stables, and Marc Detampel elected to return the Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Mizzen Mast to the track for a 6-year-old campaign.

“It wasn’t that difficult," Sheikh Fahad said of the decision to return the mare to the track. "My brothers and I had a chat, and they want good horses running around the world. She fits the bill perfectly, so it wasn’t that tough, to be honest."

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Caravel, who is trained by Brad Cox, rewarded her connections with a Shakertown victory that put her in an elite club of horses to win three or more stakes races at Keeneland. Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan holds the record with seven local stakes wins, including four Grade 1 races, also a record.

Caravel was the only female in the Shakertown. Under Tyler Gaffalione, she bounced away to lead by a length over Bad Beat Brian in the 5 1/2-furlong turf race through an opening quarter in a sharp 21.86 seconds over a course rated good.

“She jumped well today, so I didn’t want to take anything away from her,” Gaffalione said.

Bad Beat Brian was within a head of Caravel through a half-mile in 44.77 seconds. He ate into the inches between them, and even edged in front of Caravel for several yards. But Caravel forged her way back ahead in the final strides.

Chris Emigh, who rode Bad Beat Brian, said: "I was going to stalk her and try and get her, and I got by her. I was a neck in front most of the lane. She kept fighting back and just refused to lose and caught me right at the last jump."

Gaffalione said: "She showed so much heart there. She’s a tremendous filly."

Arrest Me Red, who had been eighth around the turn, finished another half-length back of the top two in third, a nose ahead of Oceanic in fourth.

The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:02.58.

After Oceanic, it was 2 1/4 lengths to Mark of the Z, followed, in order, by Bakers Bay, Stitched, Noble Emotion, Mister Mmmmm, All in Sync, Artemus Citylimits, and Johnny Unleashed.

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