APTITUDE CRUSHES FIELD IN Gr.1 JOCKEY CLUB GOLD
CUP
Aptitude (4, c. A.P. Indy out of Dokki by Northern Dancer) swept
past favorite Albert the Great and pacesetter Generous Rosi at the
top of the stretch and galloped away to a 10-length victory in the
Gr.1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. It was his most impressive victory to
date. It was the third straight victory for Aptitude, following an
impressive score in the Gr.2 Saratoga Breeders’ Cup Stakes. In
2000, Aptitude finished second in both the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby
(behind Fusaichi Pegasus) and the Gr.1 Belmont Stakes.
In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Aptitude settled in fifth position,
while Generous Rosi set a quick pace of 23.28 seconds, 46.41, and
1:10.50. Bailey had Aptitude off of Albert the Great’s flank and
followed him into contention around the turn.
Leaving the three-eighths pole, Aptitude blew past Albert the
Great and from there it was just a matter of how much he would win
by. Aptitude covered the 1-¼ miles in 2:01.49 over a fast track. He
earned a Beyer speed figure of 123 for the 10-length romp. “If
anyone was brilliant, it was Aptitude. I just went along for the
ride,” jockey Jerry Bailey said. “He has really changed from
earlier in the year; he’s more aggressive.” His trainer, Bobby
Frankel, said, “Awesome. I never gave up on him and he’s coming
through. He had really come around in the past three months.”
Aptitude now figures to be one of the top four choices in the
Breeders’ Cup Classic, along with Galileo, Fantastic Light and
Tiznow. Aptitude will look to join Cigar (1995) and Skip Away
(1997) as Gold Cup winners to have gone on and won the Breeders’
Cup Classic.
Aptitude is a homebred out of the Northern Dancer mare Dokki. He
is a ¾ brother to Gr.1 winner Sleep Easy (winner of the Gr.1
Hollywood Oaks). Dokki is a ½ sister to Champion Slew O’ Gold (who
won the Gr.1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in 1983 and
1984).
Date:
11 October 2001