Bacio to Contest Black Caviar Lightning in February
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Bacio will be campaigned in Australia by trainer Wesley Ward for the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Equestrian
Wesley Ward will campaign Bacio in Australia for the AU$1 million Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington on February 13, 2026, after the three-year-old colt won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Saturday by two lengths. Bacio ran 1:02.11 for 5½ furlongs on firm turf.
Why it matters
The planned trip extends Bacio's campaign to the southern hemisphere after a six-wins-from-seven-starts record that includes the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August. It also shows Ward sending a Turf Sprint winner abroad for a Group 1 sprint over 1,000 meters.
Bacio ran 1:02.11 for 5½ furlongs on firm turf and won by two lengths, with Cy Fair second and Starlust third in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. His career record is six wins from seven starts, and the stub does not address how the Australian campaign will affect his preparation.
The players
Wesley Ward
American Thoroughbred trainer known for sprint specialists, who will campaign Bacio in Australia.
Bacio
Three-year-old colt by Maclean's Music with a six-wins-from-seven-starts record, including the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.
Ralph Beckett
British Thoroughbred trainer who will consider an Australian campaign for Starlust, third in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
The details
Bacio made all the running under Juan Hernandez to win at Keeneland. He will come out of quarantine and go to Lindsay Park, David Hayes' former base, where he will remain in Ward's name ahead of the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Timeline
August: Bacio won the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
Saturday: Bacio won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
February 13, 2026: Bacio runs in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Season Trajectory
Bacio's planned trip places a Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner into the Black Caviar Lightning, a Group 1 sprint at Flemington named for the mare who dominated the event. The extraction does not confirm how the campaign will shape the wider international sprint calendar.
Fans following Bacio can track a February 13 start at Flemington, a fixed date that sets the timeline for his preparation. Racing followers can also watch how a Breeders' Cup winner transitions to a Group 1 sprint in the southern hemisphere.
The takeaway
Bacio's campaign shows how a single Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint result can extend into a race half a world away within months. Watch the February 13 Black Caviar Lightning to see whether his sprint form carries over to Australian turf.
What happens next
Bacio is scheduled to run in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington on February 13, 2026, after quarantine and preparation at Lindsay Park.
Further reading
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Source note: This article includes information reported by Thestandard.
