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| Staff Writer |
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Alligator Blood, one of Australia's most celebrated racehorses of recent years, has been retired after heat was detected in his leg, drawing the curtain on a glittering career that saw him amass over US$9.3m in prizemoney.
Premier trainer Chris Waller, who had been preparing for the 8YO for a return to competition, made the announcement on Wednesday.
"Despite trialling impressively last week, a slight amount of heat was detected in his leg this morning (Wednesday)," Waller said.
"While he's trotting soundly, we believe it's prudent not to push the boundaries. This issue is in the opposite leg to his original injury and is therefore unrelated, but the horse has nothing more to prove.
"My team was honoured to take over after his injury with the goal of getting him back to the races, while also assessing him carefully each week and after each trial.
"We have now reached a point where we believe he deserves a well-earned retirement."
Purchased for just US$55,000 as a yearling, the son of All Too Hard retires having won 16 races in his career, including seven at Group One level.
The gelding's career was not without controversy, however. His victory in the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas became marred in dispute after being stripped of the race due to a positive swab when trained by David Vandyke, triggering years of court action that remains ongoing.
Following his time with Vandyke's Sunshine Coast operation, Alligator Blood had three runs under trainer Billy Healey before joining the stable of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, where he enjoyed his most fruitful period.
Under their care, Alligator Blood claimed six Group One victories during 2022 and 2023, cementing his status as one of Australia's premier gallopers.
"He became a true headliner under Gai and Adrian who did a remarkable job guiding him to multiple group one victories and elevating his stature with the public, where he earned a cult following," Waller said.
"And notably, jockey Tim Clark formed a formidable partnership with Alligator Blood during his tenure with Waterhouse and Bott also.
"The owners fully agree with the decision to retire him. They've been fantastic to work with and they've had an amazing ride with Alligator Blood."
Alligator Blood's final race start was in the 2023 Champions Mile where he finished third to Pride Of Jenni.