Nine foals in 11 years: What sort of life did Black Caviar have as a broodmare?
In the life story of the champion thoroughbred we bear witness to a tale of astonishing sporting prowess, and big money, with something of The Handmaid’s Tale thrown into the mix too.
In her death I finally understood the story of the legend, Black Caviar, and how it must play out. That beloved champion had 25 wins from 25 starts, including one in front of the Queen at Royal Ascot; Her Majesty requested a private audience with our huge-hearted girl who loved to win. Yet in this story we witnessed the dispiriting intersection of beauty, bloodline and big business. The result, a mare that lived roughly half a thoroughbred’s lifespan, dying a day before her 18th birthday. This is a tale of astonishing sporting prowess, and big money, with something of The Handmaid’s Tale thrown into the mix too.
Black Caviar died after giving birth to her ninth foal since retiring from racing in 2013. Gestation in horses is about 11 months, so the breeding cycle was relentless. She was humanely euthanised after suffering from the calamitous hoof disease laminitis, where blood flow to the animal’s hoof is restricted or even stopped. It began with mastitis, also an incredibly painful condition in breastfeeding women.
Trainer Peter Moody was emotional after Black Caviar’s death, reflecting the deep love that many associated with the animal had for her: “She had a milk infection… and we just treated it like you do with all broodmares. But, like a lot of treatments, it went straight to her feet. Basically, it killed her feet … there was no blood flow at all to her feet.”
So, after the glories of four years of unbeaten racing, Black Caviar’s retirement was not to be a peaceful existence of endless rest and recuperation – but a relentless succession of pregnancies. After her death, investigative journalist Lucie Morris-Marr revealed a conversation she’d had with her stud manager when she visited back in 2016. “He was talking me through how the impregnation process worked for Black Caviar,” she told the ABC, “and casually revealed that they had to use a ‘twitch’ restraint device on her face, which they could tighten if she protested when a prized stallion mounted her… the risk of injury for valuable animals is high in this acute and challenging moment of copulation so this device, which can consist of a small twisting rope, was considered vital. It stilled her. Made her compliant.”
The use of twitches in some procedures is quite normal, I’m told, if it’s carried out under the guidance of an experienced trainer. There are demonstrations on YouTube; for me, they’re a difficult watch. It involves twisting the soft, velvety skin above a horse’s mouth to keep it quiet – it reminds me of a Handmaid’s world with the female forced, under duress, into breeding. Morris-Marr speculated on Black Caviar’s final days: “Had the foot disease been caused by being worn down by the close succession and sheer weight of her lengthy pregnancies? Each time she gave birth she had clearly soon been impregnated at the stud again … Laminitis … can occur due to many reasons, including excessive weight bearing.”
Hamish Esplin, of the NSW Breeders Association, refutes any criticism: “I’d estimate that close to 100 per cent of every dollar spent by a breeder, like the owners of Black Caviar, post-racing [is about] trying to keep the animal healthy and fit,” he explained. “It’s true they’re very valuable animals and their progeny can be very valuable – but case in point with the owners of Black Caviar, they decided not to sell any of their bloodstock. A criticism they’re in wholly for the money is misplaced.”
Yet unease over the fate of the beloved champion doesn’t help the industry, especially as more and more Australians say Nup to the Cup. Black Caviar once stopped the nation, but now the nation doesn’t stop for horse racing. That’s a huge generational shift. And the mighty mare’s tragic demise does nothing to help the industry’s recent image problems. The question some online are raising: was she bred to death?
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