He is a freak, returning from what appeared to be a career-ending injury in 2020; Alligator Blood struck for the seventh time at the highest level in Saturday's $1,000,000 Neds Might And Power Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Tim Clark for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the 7-year-old son of All Too Hard tracked the early pace set by Deny Knowledge (IRE) before accelerating to a four-length margin at the 250m. The 2019 Melbourne Cup hero Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War) closed the margin to two lengths with a further length back to the triple Group 1 winner Duais (Shamus Award) in third.
Alligator Blood advances his record to 15 wins, five seconds, and a third from 33 starts with earnings of $7,480,525.
"He just did it so easily. He's joyous," Waterhouse enthused.
"The horse in front (Deny Knowledge) made it a bit more of a tempo, and Alligator just said 'see ya later, alligator'.
"This is his fourth or fifth group one for us. He's so tough, he's so special. He's an elite racehorse, and we're very privileged to see a horse like him."
Tim Clark said the son of All Too Hard holds a special place in his heart.
"What he has done for me and my family over the last twelve or 18 months, he's a wonderful horse," Clark said.
"I’m grateful to Gai and Adrian for allowing me to get back on him.
“All the staff here and back home, they’ve prepped him up so well, and these horses, they don’t come along very often. A seven-time group one winner - five at weight-for-age, he’s a real star and showed that he could run a strong 2000m today.
“I kept him happy, in a rhythm and he was really strong late.
“I think that the fact he has had that prep over 2000, he’s had that hard seasoning in weight-for-age races against the ‘Anamoes’ and the like, I think that will hold him in better sted (for the Cox Plate)”
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Alligator Blood sold for $55,000 to Allan Endresz's Ezybonds No 1 Syndicate at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the last foal of Lake Superior, an unraced half-sister by Encosta de Lago to stakes-winner Cantonese from the Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy family.
All Too Hard stands at Vinery Stud for $38,500.
