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Grade I Winner Aptitude Dies in Argentina

Aptitude, a leading North American runner in the early part of the last decade for Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, died in Argentina April 30.

Great from the Get-Go - By Lenny Shulman

If ever a horse was bred to be a champion, it was A.P. Indy.

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Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel Dies at 68

Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, who had been battling leukemia for most of the year, died peacefully at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., early Nov. 16. He was 68.

Gallant Takes Valiant Step in Prince of Wales

Gallant outfought the favored filly Milwaukee Appeal for a hard-earned nose victory July 12 in the $429,350 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie.

Empire Maker Remains at $100,000

Empire Maker, 12th on this year's leading second-crop sires list by progeny earnings, will stand once again for $100,000 at Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms.

Juddmonte Farm Announces 2008 Stud Fees

Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farm near Lexington announced its 2008 stud fees Nov. 1,with two remaining the same and one seeing an increase.

Aptitude to Shuttle to Argentina

Aptitude, last year's leading second-crop sire by progeny earnings, will be sent to Haras Vacacion in Argentine for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.

Great Hunter's Ownership Clouded by Legal Issues

Great Hunter is a hot property on this year's Triple Crown trail, but who has right to claim the grade I winner as legal property looms as a big question.

Great Hunter Bags Lewis Stakes

J. Paul Reddam's grade I winner Great Hunter unleashed a big move leaving the quarter pole and rolled to an impressive victory in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Saturday.

Empire Maker to Remain $100,000

Empire Maker, whose first foals are yearlings, will stand for $100,000 in 2007, the same fee he commanded in his first three years.

O'Neill Shipper Takes Breeders' Futurity

Great Hunter, shipped east from California by trainer Doug O'Neill, won the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) Saturday at Keeneland, upsetting odds-on favorite and previously unbeaten Circular Quay.

Outperformance Overpowers Foes in Hill Prince

Outperformance came wide with a big rush to win the $115,400 Hill Prince Stakes (gr. IIIT) on a soft turf course at Belmont Park Friday afternoon.

Steve Haskin's Belmont Report: Who Needs a Triple Crown Winner?

With each failed Triple Crown attempt comes an outcry from racing fans and horsemen that the structure of the Triple Crown needs changing. If it is the horses' safety and longevity that is the impetus for their comments, then no one can take issue with them. If, however, it is based on the fact that we have gone 28 years without a Triple Crown winner and racing desperately needs a horse to finally win all three races, that's a different matter.

Albarado Feels Steppenwolfer Has the Right Aptitude

"I worked his daddy out of that barn," jockey Robby Albarado said the morning of April 29, pointing to barn 43 on the Churchill Downs backside.

Millionaire Aptitude Sires First Winner

Aptitude, a millionaire and grade I winner, sired his first winner when his son P R Indy won Aug. 17.

Aptitude Colt Sells for $350,000 at Fasig-Tipton

A colt from the second crop of grade I winner Aptitude brought $350,000 to lead the way Monday during the opening portion of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky select yearling sale in Lexington.

Frankel Kinda Misses Media Horde

In the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby two years ago, all the action swirled around Barn 43, where trainer Bobby Frankel gave daily press conferences that were only a chorus or two of "Hail to the Chief" short of presidential.

$375,000 Aptitude Colt Tops OBS Spring Sale's Second Session

A colt from the first crop of multiple grade I winner Aptitude brought $375,000 Tuesday to top the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Empire Maker Remains at $100,000

Empire Maker, last year's Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner who covered 111 mares this year at Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms near Lexington, will keep his $100,000 stud fee for 2005.

Gross, Average Rise in Open Session at OBS

The gross revenue and average price were up Wednesday during the first open session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's winter mixed sale in Florida.

Belmont Winner's Owner-Breeder: Pleasant and Perfect

Empire Maker delivered Prince Khalid Abdullah his first North American Triple Crown victory, powerfully navigating under the famous turquoise and pink silks through muck and mire to win a breathtaking Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

Millionaire Aptitude's First Foal

The first reported foal sired by millionaire and grade I winner Aptitude is a filly born Jan. 10

Generous Rosi Romps at Arlington

Flying Column II's Generous Rosi, an English-bred son of Generous, led every step of the way en route to a three-length victory in the $50,000 Buckpasser Handicap Saturday at Arlington Park.

From the Print Edition: Mr. P's Influence Widens With New Sires of 2002

For those pedigree pundits who worry about the gene pool being concentrated in a few sire lines, here's some more bad news. Half of the select field of 24 stallions entering stud in 2002 descend from the Mr. Prospector male line.

Aptitude to Stand at Juddmonte for $25,000

Millionaire Aptitude, whose 123 Beyer Speed Figure recorded in the Oct. 6 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) remains the highest for the year, has been retired from racing to stand at his birthplace, Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, near Lexington for a $25,000 fee.

Eight Races to Keep Bailey Very Busy

Jerry Bailey is the only jockey with a mount in all eight World Thoroughbred Championships races Saturday. And that's OK with him for some not-so-obvious reasons.

Steve Haskin's Classic Report: Godolphin Throws a Curve

On Tuesday night, most people were convinced Godolphin would run Fantastic Light in the Breeders' Cup Classic and Sakhee in the Turf. On Wednesday morning, those people were proven wrong when the Godolphin braintrust pulled a switcheroo that sent a shockwave of disbelief rippling through the backstretch.

Frankel Works Trio; Stevens 'Definite' for Macho Uno

Trainer Bobby Frankel worked three of his top Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championship contenders at Belmont Park on Saturday morning, and Gary Stevens made it official, saying that he is riding Macho Uno in the Classic (gr. I), after working the horse for trainer Joe Orseno.

Juddmonte Farms to Stand Aptitude Following Racing Career

Recent Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) winner Aptitude will join fellow grade/group I winners Distant View and Chester House at the Juddmonte Farms of his breeder and owner, Khalid Abdullah, when he is retired from racing.

Jockey Club Gold Cup (Cont.)

Continued from Part 1

Positive Aptitude

By Ray Paulick -- Aptitude was a man among boys in the Gold Cup, but he'll get a sterner test in the upcoming Breeders' Cup Classic.

Steve Haskin's Classic Report: One Step Forward, Two Backward

It seems for every step forward the Classic takes, it takes two steps backward. Last weekend, it took three steps backward, with the defeats of Albert the Great, Tiznow, and Skimming, the last two at the hands of 39-1 shot Freedom Crest. On the other hand, Aptitude's 10-length tour-de-force in the Jockey Club Gold Cup was a break-out race that catapulted the son of A.P. Indy right up to the head of the class.

Gold Cup Report: New Aptitude

For the past several months, an insatiable monster has been running amok, devouring stakes and causing mayhem across the land. Finally, horsemen could take no more, and their cry resounded throughout the racing world: Frankelstein must be destroyed.

Albert the Great, Aptitude Head Gold Cup Field

Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, as expected, shapes up as a head-to-head showdown between Bobby Frankel and Nick Zito. Frankel and Zito train four of the seven starters entered for the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup, including the three standouts – Albert the Great and A P Valentine, from Zito's barn, and Aptitude, from Frankel's barn. Frankel's other starter, Sumitas, was scratched from last week's Meadowlands Cup to make sure Albert the Great does not have an easy time on the lead.

Feisty Tiznow in Sharp Work for Goodwood

Defending Horse of the Year Tiznow turned in a sharp five furlong work in :59 2/5 at Santa Anita Monday morning, and will run in Sunday's Goodwood Handicap, trainer Jay Robbins said following the work. Robbins said he was very happy with the work and the way the son of Cee's Tizzy galloped out afterward, but wishes the colt would get his act together around the pony.

APTITUDE

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Wonderful Music, continued

Continued from part 1

Saratoga Race Report: Wonderful Music

Trainer Bobby Frankel was on hand at the Spa to watch Flute and Aptitude take two major weekend stakes.

Aptitude Cruises to Saratoga Breeders' Cup Win

Aptitude overwhelmed his rivals in the Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) on Sunday, giving trainer Bobby Frankel a winner of a big race on each coast.

Hollywood Park Race Report: Aptitude Adjustment

Disqualification in Hollywood Gold Cup gives victory to Juddmonte Farms' Aptitude

Bobbles

By Ray Paulick -- It's not a very satisfying way to determine the outcome of such an important race, but that's the way the game has always been played.

Captain Steve, Three Others Work For Gold Cup

Captain Steve got the go-ahead for the July 1 Hollywood Gold Cup with a five-furlong work in 1:00.20 at Santa Anita Park Tuesday morning. He was one of four Gold Cup hopefuls to work Tuesday.

Hollywood Gold Cup Hopefuls to Work Tuesday

Trainers of Captain Steve, Skimming, Aptitude, and Futural -- the four leading contenders for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) -- will send their charges out Tuesday morning for their final major preparations for the 1 1/4-mile race.

Frankel, Dollase Runners Dominate Californian

Trainers Bobby Frankel and Craig Dollase each sent out a pair of horses to run in Sunday's $500,000 Californian Stakes (gr. II) and then watched as their horses filled the top four finishing positions in the Hollywood Park race.

Stage Set For World Cup; Street Cry in Derby Prep

Mike Pegram's Captain Steve and Godolphin's Best of the Bests, co-favorites at 7-4 for Saturday's Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) with British bookmaker William Hill, will break from the starting gate alongside each other in post-positions 11 and 10 respectively as a dozen international runners face the starter for the $6 million pot, richest in racing with $3.6 million earmarked for the winner. Also competing in the 1 1/4-mile test is Bobby Frankel-trained Aptitude.

Captain Steve, Best of the Bests, Co-Favored in World Cup

There are clear favorites in three of the big Dubai World Cup Day races, but in THE BIG race, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, Captain Steve from the U.S. and the home team's Best of the Bests are both 7-4. According to William Hill, one of England's leading bookmakers. the biggest favorite on the day is Sunline, who is the 13-8 choice in the Dubai Duty Free.

Aptitude Works at Nad Al Sheba

Aptitude, who is in Dubai preparing for Saturday's Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), worked 1,200 meters (six furlongs) Sunday. The son of A.P. Indy covered the distance in 1:10.4 while moving with stablemate Lido Palace.

Ladies Din, Arkadian Hero Confirmed For World Cup Card

The fields for the $15.25million Dubai World Cup meeting at Nad Al Sheba on March 24 are all but finalized with just one or two horses yet to confirm their participation. U.S.-based Ladies Din and Arkadian Hero will contest the grade II Dubai Duty Free, joining Captain Steve and Aptitude, who will run in the featured Wolrd Cup.

Captain Steve, Aptitude Have World Cup Preps; Frankel Names Stevens

Mike Pegram's Captain Steve and Juddmonte Farms' Aptitude, America's two entries in the $6-million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) on March 24, each worked in Southern California on Friday, one day before they are scheduled to leave on their long journey to the desert nation. Also on Friday, trainer Robert Frankel indicated that Gary Stevens will ride Aptitude for the first time in the World Cup.

Captain Steve, Aptitude Confirmed For Dubai World Cup

Representatives of 17 different countries totaling 80 international runners have confirmed their participation at the 2001 Dubai World Cup meeting at Nad Al Sheba on March 24. The $6-million group I Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates and the opening leg of the 2001 Emirates World Series Racing Championships, is likely to attract 14 runners, including Captain Steve and Aptitude from the U.S.