New Zealand-bred mare Black Mamba has the Melbourne Cup on her agenda after winning the $US150,000 ($A185,977) Beverly Hills Handicap for the second consecutive year at Hollywood Park on Sunday.Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Black Mamba covered the 2000 metres in a slick 1:59.72, snapping a five-race winless streak dating to last summer.Black Mamba caught Charming Legacy just before the winning post in the Group Two race.Trained by John Sadler, Black Mamba won $US90,000 to boost her earnings to $US
New Zealand-bred mare Black Mamba has the Melbourne Cup on her agenda after winning the $US150,000 ($A185,977) Beverly Hills Handicap for the second consecutive year at Hollywood Park on Sunday.
Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Black Mamba covered the 2000 metres in a slick 1:59.72, snapping a five-race winless streak dating to last summer.
Black Mamba caught Charming Legacy just before the winning post in the Group Two race.
Trained by John Sadler, Black Mamba won $US90,000 to boost her earnings to $US808,851. ($A1 million).
Her next goal is the Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park on August 6 and Sadler said she had been nominated for the Melbourne Cup in November.
While that race is months off and no plans have been finalised, Black Mamba has undergone the vaccination necessary to ship a horse to Australia, he said.
Black Mamba, a six-year-old mare by Black Minnaloushe, has won five of 26 starts, including the Group One John C Mabee Handicap over 1800 metres last August.
Bred by Hawke's Bay businessman Sam Kelt's Keltern Stud, Black Mamba, by Black Minnaloushe out of Sneetch, was sold as a yearling by Trelawney Stud at the Karaka premier sale for $NZ120,000 to Cambridge trainer Murray Baker.
She ran fifth in the New Zealand Oaks won by Princess Coup at Trentham in 2007.
Black Mamba is a half-sister to Gussy Godiva, dam of this year's AJC Australian Derby winner Roman Emperor and New Zealand stakeswinner Rios.