APTITUDE -THE NAME SUITS
By Esther Marr
The word ‘aptitude’ is generally used to describe a natural or
acquired capacity, ability or talent. Some may say it’s a bold name
to give a foal, but not in the case of this year’s leading
second-crop sire APTITUDE, who has now proven his
capabilities in both his racing and stud careers.
Last year, APTITUDE ranked 19th behind leading-first
crop sire Tiznow, but earned the top spot on the 2006 leading
second-crop sire list with $3,236,625 in progeny earnings. Broken
Vow was second with $2,998,658, followed by Trippi, who edged Point
Given for third with $2,935,202.
APTITUDE, a 10
year old homebred son of 2006 leading sire A.P. Indy, stands at
Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms near Lexington, along with
stallions Empire Maker and Mizzen Mast.
A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family, Abdullah is head of
the conglomerate Mawared. In addition to Juddmonte Farms in
Kentucky, he owns three stud farms in England, and two in Ireland.
Relying on homebreds as racing prospects, stallions, and
broodmares, he has more than 100 horses in training in North
America and Europe.
Over the years, Abdullah has won six Eclipse Awards as owner or
breeder, and his runners have captured numerous classic races in
Europe and in the U.S.
APTITUDE, whose
sire line traces to Bold Reasoning, entered stud in 2002 upon his
retirement from racing. For the year, he had 38 winners from 97
starters, including stakes winners.
‘He’s a very attractive horse and full of quality with a
beautiful head – he’s very elegant,’ said Juddmonte Farms manager
Garrett O’Rourke. ‘What has been found from his first couple of
crops is that his best progeny are out of bigger, stronger mares
that might lack a bit of quality and need a little bit of classic
influence,’ he added, referring to the large stature of Wolfer and
Zenith, the dams of Aptitude’s successful sons Steppenwolfer and
Great Hunter, respectively.
Of APTITUDE
in the breeding shed, O’Rourke said, ‘He’s got plenty of man about
him, but he’s not any problem to handle. He’s well-behaved, but
when a mare comes round, he’s ready for action. In general, he’s a
good natured horse.’
APTITUDE, who
covered 71 mares last year, bred 75 mares in 2005, and 68% of those
mares produced live foals. The stallion’s 2006 yearling average was
$55,479, and his offspring have also been proving themselves on the
racetrack.
The 2001 Hollywood Gold Cup and Jockey Club Gold Cup (both Gr. 1
)winner was propelled to the top of the list with the help of his
leading earned, Great Hunter, who took the Lane’s End Breeders’
Futurity (Gr. 1) before he posted a third-place effort in the
Bessemer Trust Breeders Cup Juvenile (Gr. 1).
The two year old colt, out of the Roy mare Zenith, also placed
in three other graded stakes in 2006. Bred by Ivy Dell Stud in
Pennsylvania, Great Hunter has won two of seven starts and earned
$630,000. Two of APTITUDE’s three stakes winners are
colts, including grade III winner Outperformance, out of the Bel
Bolide mare Devine Pet. Aptitude was represented in 2006 by
additional added-money winner Amandatude.
APTITUDE has a
tendency of hamming it up for the camera, according to O’Rourke. ‘I
remember the first time we brought him back here from training and
(photographer) Tony Leonard came out to take a stallion
conformation shot of him,’ he said. ‘Usually Tony would take an
hour to two to get the perfect shot. I was showing some prospective
clients the stallions and Tony set up his camera and the horse just
came out and stopped, pricked his ears and stared off into the
clouds. Tony started screaming out ‘don’t move!’ That’s
just APTITUDE –
he’ll come out and just put on the most fantastic pose and have the
look of eagles that they talk about. He has it in abundance.’
Trained by Bobby Frankel, APTITUDE failed to cross the wire first
as a 2 year old in 1999, but more than made up for it at 3, when he
ran second in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes (both Gr.
1). Winning the Saratoga Breeders’ Cup Handicap (Gr. II), Jockey
Club Gold Cup, and Hollywood Gold Cup during his 4 year old
campaign were the icing on the cake of APTITUDE’s career. He was retired to stud
after finishing unplaced in the 2001 Breeders Cup Classic (Gr.
1).
Produced from Northern Dancer mare
Dokki, APTITUDE
ended his career with a record of 5-4-2 from 15 starts and earnings
of $1,965,410.
Date:
13 January 2007