Aptitude

Aptitude

by Les Brinfield ©

Even a Hall of Famer like Bobby Frankel can use a little luck, but being put up on a disqualification in Grade 1 events twice in a day is a little silly, even for our game where reality routinely outruns one's wildest fantasy. But luck and fantasy are not part of the pedigree equation in Aptitude, runner-up in the 2000 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and victor in the 2001 Hollywood Gold Cup. Rather, skill in solid linebreeding to quality, prepotent, common ancestors keys the pedigree of this regally bred horse.

Aptitude is by A.P. Indy, a very high class runner and sire by Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew. A.P. Indy is from a solid racer and better producer, Weekend Surprise, dam also of Summer Squall and Honor Grades. A.P. Indy won the Belmont and Breeders Cup Classic in 1992.

Weekend Surprise came early, stayed late and danced with the best in winning three stakes and placing in 12 more, four of which were Grade 1. Moreover, she is out of Lassie Dear, dam also of Al Mufti and the trio of Deerhound, Foxhound and Wolfhound.

Lassie Dear is out of Gay Missile, dam of Gay Mecene. The next dam is Blue Hen Missy Baba, dam of Raja Baba, Sauce Boat and Toll Booth by Buckpasser. The latter is dam of Champion Plugged Nickle who is linebred to Blue Larkspur [read Domino] and War Admiral.

Note the components of this cross as they are a key to the pedigrees of Aptitude, A.P. Indy and Seattle Slew. Seattle Slew is out of Fair Grounds Oaks winner My Charmer who is 3X3 to Striking and Busher. These sisters were honored as Broodmare of the Year and Horse of the Year respectively. They are by War Admiral from Baby League by Bubbling Over from the immortal producer, La Troienne. Bubbling Over, like War Admiral, is out of Beaming Beauty, a mare by Sweep and she is tripled to Domino with his 5/8 relative, Lady Reel, in close proximity.

A.P. Indy has Lassie Dear by Buckpasser and Buckpasser's dam, Busanda, is a 3/4 sister to Striking/Busher - all by War Admiral from daughters of La Troienne, in this case Businesslike by Blue Larkspur.

Princequillo gets tripled from Poker in Seattle Slew and the 2X4 double of Somethingroyal in Weekend Surprise. This double dose of the dam of Sir Gaylord and Secretariat did not hurt Weekend Surprise as a racer or progenitor - in fact it is tripled in Charismatic by Summer Squall.

Aptitude reminds me of an axiom burned into my mind in ninth grade geometry: "Things equal to the same thing are equal to each other". If A = C and B = C, then A = B. To make this point, Seattle Slew got the very good stayer, Slew o'Gold from Alluvial by Buckpasser from Bayou by Hill Prince [damsire aforesaid Bubbling Over]. He then got A.P. Indy from a mare featuring Buckpasser. A.P. Indy then proceeded to get our current subject, Aptitude, from Dokki. a Northern Dancer daughter of said same Alluvial. Seattle Slew and his son, Slew o'Gold got Seaside Attraction and Gorgeous from Kamar by Key to the Mint [Princequillo, Blue Larkspur, War Admiral] out of a mare by Quadrangle [read Cohoes - Blue Larkspur/La Troienne].

And to confirm the form of this cross that keeps on working, Seeking The Gold [Con Game by Buckpasser] got Cape Town from Seaside Attraction as well as Welcome Surprise from Weekend Surprise. And Con Game threw the under appreciated Fast Play by Seattle Slew who - to emphasize the point - sired Grade 1 winner, Sleep Easy, from Dokki.

Crossing and recrossing any single ancestor or group of ancestors either produces good horses or does not. If so, these ancestors accumulate in pedigrees in multiples. The extent of accumulation defines prevalence and when prevalence becomes universal, said ancestors are endemic to the breed - this is immortality. The War Admiral / La Troienne cross is on pace to achieve immortality. Domino is damsire of Sweep who is damsire of War Admiral. La Troienne was never bred to a sire free of Domino (see article on Domino). So any War Admiral / La Troienne has at least a double Domino. Endemic!