GALLANT GRABS 15-1 UPSET IN PRINCE OF WALES 

 Article taken from Daily Racing Form by Bill Tallon

Gallant (APTITUDE) the only horse in the field who did not compete in the Queen's Plate, was a 15-1 upsetter in a thrilling renewal of the Prince of Wales here Sunday.

With Corey Fraser in the irons for the first time, Gallant (APTITUDE)  was running a close fourth through the opening quarter but shot to the lead as the field entered the backstretch.
"He carried me to the front, into the first turn," said Fraser, who was recording the biggest win of his career. "They were kind of dawdling along, so I let him go."

Milwaukee Appeal, the only filly in the field and the 7-5 favorite, had surrendered the lead to Gallant  (APTITUDE) and came on again to just miss by a nose after dueling through the far turn right down to the wire.
"I thought we'd put that horse away, but he came back. She never gave up."

Eye of the Leopard, the Queen's Plate winner and the second choice at 9-5, was prominent early but lost ground down the backstretch before rallying to end just a half-length behind the top pair in third place.

Gallant (APTITUDE), who is owned by Woodford Racing LLC and trained by Mark Casse, was saddled here by assistant trainer Ricky Griffith.
"He was with me in California this winter," said Griffith, who was in charge of the day-to-day operations for Casse's Santa Anita string. "He showed talent but he had some setbacks, and he never got to start there."

The Prince of Wales was the first stakes score for Gallant (APTITUDE), who had won a 1 1/8-mile maiden race in his last start at Woodbine on May 31. Gallant (APTITUDE) and Milwaukee Appeal both were supplemented to the Prince of Wales at a cost of $12,500.

The final leg of the series, the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, will be run at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Woodbine on Aug. 2.

Date: 12 July 2009