MELBOURNE, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Black Caviar extended her unbeaten record to 17 straight wins Friday with an easy victory in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley.
With Luke Nolen riding for trainer Peter Moody, the 6-year-old mare never worried her fans, easing home first by nearly 3 lengths. Zedi Knight was second.
Black Caviar finished in 1:09.4, just 0.11 seconds off the track record, even though Nolen didn't have to ask for her best.
The win keeps Black Caviar on course for a long-discussed trip to Royal Ascot in June, although there is a bit of intrigue in her nomination to the two rich sprints on Dubai World Cup night on March 31 at Meydan.
Moody and her owners have expressed a desire to see Black Caviar win her 20th straight race – should the racing gods allow that – in Australia. To that end, she likely would contest the Orr Stakes at Caulfield on Feb. 11, the Futurity at Caulfield on Feb. 25 and the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on April 14. A trip to Dubai would muddle the end of that schedule.
"It's the old adage," Moody said after Friday's win. "We'll take one match at a time … Hopefully it's the start of a wonderful six months."
