MELBOURNE, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Black Caviar won her 19th straight race on Saturday but had to work a bit to turn the trick in Australia's Group 1 Coolmore Lightning Stakes at Flemington.
The 6-year-old mare sprinted brilliantly to the lead halfway through the 5-furlong race but then found another top Aussie sprinter, Hay List, coming back for more with a furlong to run. Under some urging from jockey Luke Nolan, Black Caviar hit another gear and again pulled away to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Hay List held second and Buffering was third.
Black Caviar finished in 55.53 seconds over turf rated "good."
The win came just a week after her easy victory in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield, going 7 furlongs.
Trainer Peter Moody said he decided to wheel Black Caviar back on short rest because she had to do so little in the Orr. However, the Lightning Stakes also was the first event in the 10-race Global Sprint Challenge, which offers $1 million (U.S.) for the owner and trainer of any horse who can win series races in three countries.
With this race in the bank, Black Caviar has a big leg up on the rest of the world's top sprinters, especially considering a change in the rules for this year's Challenge. Previously, a horse had to win three times outside its home jurisdiction. For 2012, any three races will do, including a relatively modest home-court win like the Lightning.
Moody said he knew he was putting some added pressure on both his horse and the rider by running on one week's rest and a shorter distance in the Lightning but added the stiffening will come in handy whether Black Caviar's next stop is the Golden Shaheen in Dubai on World Cup night or at Royal Ascot in June. In either case, there will be much tougher competition than Black Caviar has found at home.
The Golden Shaheen and both sprints at Royal Ascot also are included in the Global Sprint Challenge.
"It's the first serious task I've set her," Moody said after the Lightning, "and I said to Luke, 'I feel a bit sorry for her and you because it's the first time I've ever placed either of you under pressure.'"
Nolan agreed.
"She has been a bit of a protected species, especially the way she goes about winning her races, and it was great to see that when the chips were down, how much courage she had … It was her toughest assignment."
