Australia: Group 1 winner Alligator Blood tries listed stakes at Gold Coast

Unraced since October, the Group 1 winner Alligator Blood will carry 134.4 pounds in Friday’s listed Goldmarket Stakes at six furlongs at Gold Coast Racecourse in Australia, spotting 12 rivals 13 to 15 pounds.

Alligator Blood underwent back surgery which led to the lengthy layoff. A winner of 9 of 15 starts, including four stakes, Alligator Blood was previously trained by David Vandyke, but was moved to the stable of 23-year-old Billy Healey for his comeback.

The Goldmarket Stakes will be Alligator Blood’s first start since a 10th in the $5.1 million Golden Eagle Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs for Southern Hemisphere 4-year-olds last October. Alligator Blood is best known for winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas at a mile at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in February 2020.

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The $90,987 Goldmarket Stakes is a handicap. Alligator Blood’s lofty handicap rating skews the weights. The minimum weight is 119 pounds, meaning some of the competition have such inferior handicap ratings compared to Alligator Blood that they are actually carrying considerably more weight than would be if they were running at a weight assignment that correlates with their ratings.

Alligator Blood was a mild 3-1 favorite on Wednesday, an indication that the Goldmarket Stakes is a prep for more lucrative races in coming months. Still, Alligator Blood is unbeaten in four starts at six furlongs and has been effective after shorter layoffs.

If Alligator Blood is in need of a start to perform at his best, runners such as Racecourse Road and Desert Lord are seen as likely winners. They were 7-2 on Wednesday.

Racecourse Road was second by slightly less than a half-length in the Goldmarket Stakes when the race was run in May. Racecourse Road is quick enough to lead.

Desert Lord, trained by Vandyke, has not raced since a third-place finish in the Glasshouse Stakes at seven furlongs at Sunshine Coast Racecourse in July. A winner of 7 of 25 starts, Desert Lord tends to run as a stalker.

Gold Coast, located outside of Brisbane, has an eight-race program beginning at 10:52 p.m. Eastern, or 7:52 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.