Mizzen Mast

Back on the hamster wheel, everybody. You know the drill. Usual freshman hype, please. Just remember to change the names--and not to dwell too unhelpfully on how things played out for those being talked up four or five years ago. But the legitimate, perennial challenge of the yearling circuit also abides, and likewise much of its color and character. Just not quite all. Not enough time has elapsed, certainly, to heal one aching void. For many of his compatriots, in particular, every barn we enter we still half-expect to hear...

Making his first start around two turns and looking for a third straight victory in succession, Juddmonte homebred Dragoon Guard (Arrogate) was sent for the lead from his outside draw and made every pole a winning one in Saturday's GIII Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Pegged at 7-2 on the morning line and sharing the grey/roan coloring that runs rampant in his pedigree (sire, dam, grandsire, damsire and damsire's sire), Dragoon Guard--off as the 19-10 second-elect--was given a positive ride from Florent Geroux and led his rivals into the first...

Accede (Into Mischief) dug down gamely to post a first stakes victory in Saturday's GII Bed o' Roses S. Off as the 4-1 second choice, the Juddmonte homebred veered out sharply at the start and was quickly corrected by Irad Ortiz, Jr. to lead early. Third, but traveling nicely on the inside on the far turn, Accede split horses with authority in the stretch and fended off the longshot runner-up for a career best. "She broke with good intent and I was happy with her on the lead, but if...

6th-Keeneland, $96,700, Msw, 4-21, 3yo, 7f, 1:27.39, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. DRAGOON GUARD (c, 3, Arrogate--Filimbi {GSW & MGISP-USA, SW-Fr, $670,763}, by Mizzen Mast) just missed by a neck to future SW Otto the Conqueror (Street Sense) when he debuted last September under the Twin Spires. Back on the work tab in late February for Brad Cox, the homebred went off with Lasix as the 3-5 choice here to kick off his 3-year-old season. The colt charged out of the gate, but was content to lay off of Rock N...

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association has named the 2023 PA-Bred Award finalists. Winners will be announced during the annual Iroquois Awards held Friday, May 10. Finalists are listed in alphabetical order: Horse of the Year: Angel of Empire (Classic Empire), Caravel (Mizzen Mast), Nimitz Class (Munnings), Neecie Marie (Cross Traffic), Roses For Debra (Liam's Map) and Twisted Ride (Great Notion). Broodmare of the Year: Armony's Angel (To Honor and Serve), Diva's Gold (Tenpins), Essential Rose (Bernardini), Five Diamonds (Flatter), Home Ice (Iam the Iceman), Katarica Disco (Disco Rico) and Zeezee...

Trading in horsepower is second nature to Nathan McCauley. For many years his father Ron owned a big Toyota franchise in Lexington, and McCauley showed a precocious flair for the same game when opening his own dealerships in Tennessee. And since quitting automobiles for Thoroughbreds, McCauley has discovered a couple of niches largely unexplored by those horsemen whose own transitions, from one generation to the next, tend merely to consolidate familiar commercial conventions. In fact, since opening River Oak Farm for business in 2019, he reckons to have bought and...

Two-time Pennsylvania-bred Horse of the Year and GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast) continues to train at Churchill Downs following her victory in the $300,000 Unbridled Sidney S. on Kentucky Oaks Day. Owned in partnership by Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables, Caravel is likely to make her next start at Royal Ascot in the G1 King's Stand S. Tuesday, June 20. The Brad Cox-trainee galloped about 1 3/8 miles Friday under exercise rider Fernando Espinoza. Caravel would be Cox's first starter at Royal Ascot. "One...

Caravel (Mizzen mast), winner of the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, was named the 2022 PA-Bred Horse of the Year, Older Female, Female Sprinter and Turf Female at the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's annual Iroquois Awards held Friday, May 12. Racing in 2022 for Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables LLC and trained by Brad Cox, Caravel won five of eight starts during her 5-year-old season while racing exclusively in stakes. She was also Pennsylvania's richest state-bred of the year, with $930,983, which pushed her over the million-dollar...

LEXINGTON, KY - Gutsy Pennsylvania-bred mare Caravel (Mizzen Mast) took the field wire-to-wire and just held off Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) with Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) closing powerfully late to give Godolphin the two-three in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Saturday at Keeneland. The gray mare, dismissed at 42-1, shot out to the early lead as favored Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), who had been expected to set the pace, was off to a slow start after jumping at the break. The favorite was rushing up through the field,...

The game is getting smaller and the bigger players are getting larger. That's how it seems, anyway, whether you're talking about owners, breeders, trainers or stallions. For example, Saturday's sire of the moment was Juddmonte's European-based Frankel (GB). His G1 Epsom Derby-winning son Adayar (Ire) impressively won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot for owner/breeder Godolphin, becoming the first 3-year-old since Frankel's sire Galileo (Ire) 20 years ago to land the prestigious double. One of the best stallions in the world, Frankel stands for £175,000...

Caravel (Mizzen Mast) carried the colors of her breeder, trainer and now co-owner Elizabeth Merryman to six victories in her eight previous starts. Irad Ortiz climbed aboard Caravel sporting the silks of her new part-owner Bobby Flay for this Saratoga debut and she took her career to the next level with a decisive score in the GIII Caress S. Saturday. Backed to even-money favoritism off a pair of stakes wins, Caravel was away well from her rail draw and settled to track from third off pacesetting New York native Robin...

It's a rare feat to get to the winner's circle on one of the biggest weekends in racing with a horse bred, owned and trained by the same connection, but Elizabeth Merryman did just that when her speedy filly Caravel (Mizzen Mast) gave a gutsy performance at Pimlico to take The Very One S. by a nose on Preakness weekend. Many would consider the juggling act between the foaling barn and the training center to be an impossibility, but Liz Merryman says for her, it's the best way to produce...