The news of a probable career ending injury to Alligator Blood is not the way racing enthusiasts want to see any horse bow out, particularly after a career which has had it all … from excellence to adversity, from glory to controversy, from reaching heights to combating the lows.
But, while the seven-time Group 1 winner is now sidelined, his connections could still be in line for one more very big win as early as next month when, while Alligator Blood will be chilling out, recovering and recuperating peacefully, the not so friendly court proceedings surrounding the outcome of the 2020 edition of the Magic Millions Three-Year-Old Guineas will be close to reaching a final verdict.
Alligator Blood won the 2020 Guineas on the track, was subsequently disqualified, was reinstated … that reinstatement was then appealed and so all of the legalities went on, now covering four years … with who knows how much in costs for both the connections of Alligator Blood and the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) and, yes, it does take a bit of getting your head around the fact that the 2024 Magic Millions Three-Year-Old Guineas was run and won in spectacular fashion by Storm Boy before the result of the 2020 edition of the race is finalised.
But that is how things have played out.
February 7 have been set as the date for the court case to resume with a lot on the line, which includes not only the integrity of the Guineas win by Alligator Blood … a big enough matter in itself … but, also, the no small matter of the $1 160 000 Guineas first place prize-money.
Sidelined maybe, but a win in his name in court would propel Alligator Blood’s prize-money earnings to $9,285,525 and his reinstatement there would make him a sixteen-time winner from thirty-five starts.
Out of action but still in the game, for now at least.
The immecdiate question that remains is … is there still one more big win to come for Alligator Blood to rubber-stamp an exceptional career?
Hopefully, we will find out soon enough.
