Australian Mare Black Caviar, Unbeaten in 25 Career Races, Dies

 Black Caviar, who was unbeaten in 25 career starts and won 15 Group 1 races and nearly 8 million Australian dollars (more than $5.3 million) in prize money, has died. - The AP
 Black Caviar, who was unbeaten in 25 career starts and won 15 Group 1 races and nearly 8 million Australian dollars (more than $5.3 million) in prize money, has died. - The AP
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Australian Mare Black Caviar, Unbeaten in 25 Career Races, Dies

 Black Caviar, who was unbeaten in 25 career starts and won 15 Group 1 races and nearly 8 million Australian dollars (more than $5.3 million) in prize money, has died. - The AP
 Black Caviar, who was unbeaten in 25 career starts and won 15 Group 1 races and nearly 8 million Australian dollars (more than $5.3 million) in prize money, has died. - The AP

Black Caviar, who was unbeaten in 25 career starts and won 15 Group 1 races and nearly 8 million Australian dollars (more than $5.3 million) in prize money, has died.

Former trainer Peter Moody on Saturday confirmed the death of the 17-year-old mare, who was retired in 2013.

“She was a remarkable horse who gave us all the ride of a life time and wonderful memories," Moody said, The AP reported.

Victoria Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson said Black Caviar helped create “a special moment in time for horse racing and sport more generally.”

“Today’s news is a shock to us all,” Wilson said. "Black Caviar was more than a champion racehorse, she was an important part of life for many people. She has created a piece of history that will be remembered forever, and it was a privilege for all who saw this wonderful equine athlete in action.”



Rarely Seen Deep Sea Fish Found in California, Scientists Want to Know Why 

This image provided by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows a team of researchers and science-minded snorkelers working together to recover a dead oarfish from La Jolla Cove, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (Michael Wang/The Scripps Institution of Oceanography via AP)
This image provided by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows a team of researchers and science-minded snorkelers working together to recover a dead oarfish from La Jolla Cove, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (Michael Wang/The Scripps Institution of Oceanography via AP)
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Rarely Seen Deep Sea Fish Found in California, Scientists Want to Know Why 

This image provided by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows a team of researchers and science-minded snorkelers working together to recover a dead oarfish from La Jolla Cove, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (Michael Wang/The Scripps Institution of Oceanography via AP)
This image provided by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows a team of researchers and science-minded snorkelers working together to recover a dead oarfish from La Jolla Cove, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (Michael Wang/The Scripps Institution of Oceanography via AP)

A rarely seen deep sea fish resembling a serpent was found floating dead on the ocean surface off the San Diego coast and was brought ashore for study, marine experts said.

The silvery, 12-foot-long (3.6-meter) oarfish was found last weekend by a group of snorkelers and kayakers in La Jolla Cove, north of downtown San Diego, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography said in a statement.

It's only the 20th time an oarfish is known to have washed up in California since 1901, according to institution fish expert Ben Frable.

Scripps noted that oarfish have a mythical reputation as predictors of natural disasters or earthquakes, although no correlation has been proven.

Oarfish can grow longer than 20 feet (6 meters) and normally live in a deep part of the ocean called the mesopelagic zone, where light cannot reach, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Swimmers brought the La Jolla Cove oarfish to shore atop a paddleboard. It was then transferred to the bed of a pickup truck.

Scientists from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps planned a necropsy on Friday to try to determine the cause of death.