Caravel Continues Swift Training for Troy

The first time trainer Brad Cox entered Caravel  against males, she was a 5-year-old mare with seemingly no shot in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Keeneland last November.

After seeing what Caravel has done since, it is hard to believe she went off at odds of 42-1 that day.

In her three starts as a 6-year-old, Caravel has won them all, two of them against the boys. She will look for another when she runs in the $300,000 Troy Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 5.

Caravel, owned by Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables, has won 15 of 23 starts, 12 of 19 on grass. Since coming to Cox's barn in 2022, she has won eight of 11 starts. He never thought the daughter of Mizzen Mast  would have such success against males.

"Nope," Cox said the morning of July 22 after Caravel world four furlongs in :48.22 on the Oklahoma turf training course. "Listen, she has always been good. She has been able to beat males three times in the last nine months."

Cox entered Caravel in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) after she won the Franklin Stakes (G3T) over fillies and mares at Keeneland.

A confident guy, Cox did not go into that race thinking he had the other 13 runners—including the 6-5 favorite Golden Pal  —over a barrel. However, Golden Pal had a bad start and Caravel got the lead and never lost it.

"At the end of the day, we were taking a shot," Cox said. "When you run horses in races like that and you are at that price, there is really no pressure."

There is now. She beat the boys again in the Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland in her first start of this year April 8 and then did it again in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park June 10. Between those races, she beat females in the May 5 Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs.

On Saturday, exercise rider Kelvin Perez was aboard as Caravel, a striking gray, who posted one of the fastest turf breezes of the morning.

"Great work horse," Cox said. "Very pleased with what I saw."

He was also happy with what two of his 3-year-olds, Jim Dandy Stakes (G2)-bound Angel of Empire  and Hit Show  did earlier in the day.

Working together on the Oklahoma dirt training track, they were both timed in 1:01.58 for five furlongs. Angel of Empire was breezed by jockey Flavien Prat and Luis Saez was on Hit Show.

"They are both doing fantastic," Cox said.

He said working together—they did the same thing last week—has an advantage.

"It gives me confidence that we will get a good move out of them and it makes sure they don't go out there and go too slow," Cox said. "I am confident they are going to run their races (in the Jim Dandy)."

Angel of Empire and Hit Show finished in a dead heat for fourth in the Belmont Stakes (G1). Angel of Empire, owned by Albaugh Family Stables, was third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Gary and Mary West's Hit Show was fifth in the Run for the Roses.