Black Caviar picks up where she left off, is now undefeated in 20 starts

Black Caviar needed minimal effort to extend her unbeaten streak to 20 races in Saturday’s Group 1 Sportingbet Classic at Morphettville Racecourse, near Adelaide, Australia.

The winning streak is a record for an Australian-based horse racing at that country’s major tracks. Two Australian horses have compiled 22-race winning streaks racing at minor venues.

Black Caviar, the 1-20 favorite, won the $408,000 Sportingbet Classic for fillies and mares by 4 1/2 lengths over 30-1 Sistine Angel. Power Princess, a 50-1 shot, finished third, a nose behind Sistine Angel, in the field of 10.

Ridden by regular rider Luke Nolen, Black Caviar stalked pacesetters Just Sybil and Spurcific for the first half of the race over about six furlongs, took the lead with a three-wide move entering the stretch and was hand-ridden to the line.

“Luke has good faith with her every day and so do I,” trainer Peter Moody told reporters after the race. “It’s unbelievable how she copes with it. Most of your sprinters are wound up, excitable types. She’s so laid-back and takes it all in stride.”

A 6-year-old mare by Bel Esprit, Black Caviar’s springtime goal is the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in England on June 23. She may have one more prep race in Australia, in the Group 1 Goodwood Stakes at Morphettville on May 12.

The Sportingbet Classic was Black Caviar’s first start since February, and her seventh win since returning from a five-month break last October.