Caravel speeds to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Keeneland Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— Keeneland has announced that Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Caravel, who has won 15 races, including 13 stakes, and earned nearly $2 million, and her dam, Zeezee Zoomzoom, have been cataloged to Book 1 of the November Breeding Stock Sale on Nov. 8. Hunter Valley Farm, agent, consigns both Caravel, a 6-year-old mare by Mizzen Mast, and Zeezee Zoomzoom, an 11-year-old winning daughter of Congrats, who is in foal to Justify.
“Both Adrian and I are delighted to be selling such a unique package on the same day,” Fergus Galvin of Hunter Valley said. “We feel both will complement each other well. Obviously Caravel is a world-class turf sprinter, and her dam, Zeezee Zoomzoom, is in foal to Justify, who is having a phenomenal year. We’re delighted to be selling this pair.”
Racing against males, Caravel scored a half-length victory in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland during a five-race win streak that began a few weeks earlier with her triumph here in the Franklin (now Grade 2). In April at Keeneland, Caravel captured her 2023 debut by defeating males in the Shakertown (G2). She next won the Unbridled Sidney (L) Presented by Turfway Park Racing & Gaming at Churchill Downs and again defeated males in the Jaipur (G1) at Belmont Park.
Caravel also won graded stakes at Belmont (2022 Intercontinental-G3) and Saratoga Race Course (2021 Caress-G3). Her other stakes victories came at Monmouth Park, Pimlico, Presque Isle Downs, Saratoga and Turfway Park.
“Keeneland is excited to welcome back a star the caliber of Caravel, who turned in some of her most memorable performances here and, as a three-time stakes winner, raced into track history,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “Both Caravel and her dam, Zeezee Zoomzoom, will attract global attention from owners and breeders.”
Caravel is the first foal out of Zeezee Zoomzoom, who scored her maiden victory on the turf at Saratoga. The mare, who also produced multiple stakes winner Witty, by Great Notion, has four winners from four starters.
“She’s not a big mare herself,” said Caravel’s breeder, Elizabeth Merryman, about Zeezee Zoomzoom, “but she throws very big foals that are very correct, lovely, good movers – she’s a really good mover. They all get a lot of natural speed from her. Some of them want to go long, and some want to sprint. They’re really talented, smart, lovely horses that are well put together. I love the nick to Justify; I think it’s just right for her.”
The catalog for the November Breeding Stock Sale will be posted on Keeneland.com Oct. 3.
