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Alligator Blood becomes first Group 1 winner Vinery Stud sire
Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard (Casino Prince) came of age on Saturday with the stallion siring two new stakes winners whilst his son Alligator Blood (3 g ex Lake Superior by Encosta de Lago) landed the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) handing the sire his first elite level winner.
Alligator Blood’s victory never looked in doubt with the gelding always travelling the best and he surged impressively to the line, beating Superstorm (Sebring) by a length and a quarter.
Prior to the gelding’s victory in the Guineas, All Too Hard’s progeny had already etched their names onto the scoresheet courtesy of Hard Rock Girl’s (2 f ex Rock of Fortune by Fastnet Rock) victory in the Cinderella Stakes (Listed, 1050m) at Morphettville, while Dawn Dawn (5 m ex Dawned by One Cool Cat) landed the Guy Walter Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m). Those became stakes winners number 14 and 15 for the Vinery Stud-based sire.
It was a well-deserved victory for the David Vandyke-trained Alligator Blood who was agonisingly close to breaking his Group 1 duck only to be narrowly beaten by Super Seth (Dundeel) in the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in the spring.
Vandyke said he has goosebumps talking about the horse.
"He's just incredible," Vandyke said.
"He's been up since last May, he's had a race or a trial every month since July and the longest break he has had is nine days.
"He then has the audacity to put in a career best performance with that long, drawn out preparation.
"That's a good as it gets, the world's his oyster.
"But to win a Group 1 like that, it is more than redemption, it's a dream come true," he said.
Alligator Blood is the $3 favourite for the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield on March 14, although Vandyke said a start was not a done deal saying they would wait and see how the gelding came out of the race before making any secure plans.
"If I think there is any shadow of doubt after that amazing performance we'll tuck him away," Vandyke said.
"I'd love to have a runner in the All-Star Mile, I'd love him to be there after that performance, but the horse comes first."
Alligator Blood was purchased by the Ezybonds No.1 Syndicate for $55,000 from the Baramul Stud draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale after initially being passed in.
Alligator Blood is one of two winners for the unraced Lake Superior (Encosta de Lago), who in turn is a half-sister to Listed winner Cantonese (Redoute’s Choice) and the stakes-placed Chateau Margaux (Redoute’s Choice) and Monteux (Medaglia d’Oro).
His third dam is Tracy’s Element (Last Tycoon), a Grade 1 winner in South Africa who is also the dam of Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom).
Lake Superior died in 2017 without producing another foal after Alligator Blood was born.
Meanwhile, All Too Hard has 11 lots set to go under the hammer at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale which begins in Melbourne on Sunday, while Widden will offer the only lot by the sire at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.