Black Caviar Delivers at Randwick
Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, was the host of the 2011 TJ Smith Stakes on Saturday, 9 April 2011 – a racing spectacular that had all spectators spellbound. It is a Grade 1 event that is run over a distance of 1 200 meters. A talented filly, named Black Caviar, managed to outrun and outlast a field of worthy contenders to walk away victorious from Randwick Racecourse. The way Black Caviar is performing has caused a stir in the racing community, and she is being compared to previous racing greats such as Phar Lap.
The TJ Smith Stakes has a purse amount of A$1 million, and is named after the legendary trainer Thomas John Smith, also referred to as Tommy Smith or TJ Smith. The four-year-old Black Caviar attracted over twenty-five thousand fans to the races on Saturday, receiving a standing ovation from spectators as she entered the mounting yard. Black Caviar is trained by Peter Moody, and Luke Nolen, a top jockey within the horse racing industry, was paired up with her for the TJ Smith Stakes.
Black Caviar did not get out the starting gates quite as well as Nolen would have liked her to, but she was able to settle into the pace that Hay List was setting. Fortunately Black Caviar still managed to pull a victory out of her hat, bringing her career victories up to twelve off twelve starts. She even enjoyed applause from her jockey, as Nolan dropped his reins to show his excitement and respect for this amazing filly.
When asked about the race and his shared victory, Luke Nolen told the press that the race has personal meaning to him, and that winning the TJ Smith Stakes was a very special moment in his career. He continued by saying: “I spent three years at Randwick learning my trade under TJ Smith so it’s very gratifying. There are races named after TJ Smith all over Australia but this is the one.”
The atmosphere was electric as fans cheered Black Caviar over the finish line and celebrated her performance by waving flags in colors of her silks and showing their appreciation for the talent of this new local hero.
