Black Caviar tied the record for consecutive victories in Australasia and almost set a course standard in the process when she won the group I Lightning Stakes at Flemington Feb. 18 on six days’ rest.
Undefeated Black Caviar broke alertly in the straight 1,000-meter stakes (about five furlongs) but ended up between two others in a speed duel. Hay List held a narrow lead until the final eighth of a mile, but jockey Luke Nolen asked Black Caviar for run and she responded to pull away by about 1 3/4 lengths.
The time for the Lightning Stakes was :55.53, which was 0.03 seconds off the course record. Hay List held for second and Buffering third.
The other two horses with 19 consecutive wins in Australasia are Desert Gold and Gloaming.
Flemington officials reported more than 20,000 were on hand to watch the 5-year-old mare continue her streak. Trainer Peter Moody told the Sydney Morning Herald it came down to a two-horse race, but Black Caviar was just too good.
“(Hay List) is a great horse but he’s just unfortunate that he’s in an era where he has run into a flying freak, I suppose,” Moody said. “She’s the best horse.”
Moody told the newspaper that after the unusually taxing effort for Black Caviar, she probably won’t run in seven days in the group I Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. On Feb. 11 she won the group I Sportingbet C. F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield.
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. Earlier on the Flemington card, Black Caviar’s half brother All Too Hard (by Casino Prince) won his career debut.