Black Caviar won her 20th race in as many starts April 28 with an unbelievably easy victory in the group I Sportingbet Classic at Morphettville in Adelaide, Australia. In the process, the 5-year-old mare set the Australasian record for consecutive wins.

 

Black Caviar broke on top in the 1,200-meter (about six furlongs) turf race but jockey Luke Nolen allowed her to drop back a bit in third. She devoured the leaders under no urging heading into the stretch and pulled away to win by 4 1/2 lengths.

 

Sistine Angel was second and Power Princess third in the race for fillies and mares. The final time was 1:10.65.

 

The crowd at Morphettville was said to be in excess of 30,000. According to Australian news reports, Black Caviar was the shortest-priced favorite in a group I race in about 50 years; she paid $1.04 for each dollar bet.

 

Trainer Peter Moody said Black Caviar, who now has earned more than $5.5 million, “had a nice gallop. I don’t think we ever had too much concern” about her winning the $400,000 race, which previously was called the Robert Sangster Stakes.

 

Moody said Black Caviar, a 10-time group I winner, could race again at Morphettville in the group I Goodwood Stakes in two weeks, and then travel to Royal Ascot in England in June. It would be the mare's first race outside of Australasia.

 

In her previous start Black Caviar tied the Australasian consecutive win record held by Desert Gold and Gloaming.

 

Black Caviar, by Bel Esprit out of Helsinge, is owned by a syndicate managed by Neil Werrett. She was bred in Victoria by Ric Jamieson.