[align=center][color=green]Stallion Spotlight: [color=black] April II
NCh. Aptitude
2012 bay Thoroughbred stallion, 15.1hh
A.P. Indy x Colors Waving
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CAREER
Bred by Final Furlong, Aptitude was claimed by Krajina as an unraced three year old where he has remained since. Lightly raced, he made 29 starts over a two year period, scoring 14 wins with 8 at the G1 level: Australian Derby, Man O’War Stakes, Canadian International, Epsom Derby Stakes, St. Leger Stakes, St. James’ Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, and Caulfield Cup. He set 5 speed records, all over 10 furlongs turf. In 2015 he was named that year’s Three Year Old Colt Champion and Endurance Champion. Although he only raced for two years, he made them count, hitting the board 79% of the time with over $6.5 million in earnings.
During his career he beat stallions Galaxy’s Zodiac, Lucky Streak, Daredevil Dan, Changeling, In the Navy, Drum Major, I’m No Fool, Hidden Destiny, and others.
INJURY HISTORY
In two years of racing he suffered two injuries, both in his 3yo season: a cut that April and limping in late November.
LINEAGE
His sire, A.P. INDY, had 323 foals, 70 stakes winners and 37 MSW’s including NCh. Golden Text, NCh. Barchetta, NCh. Spinning Hill, GCh. A.P. Valentino, GCh. A.P. Fantasy, GCh. Highland Surprise, GCh. A.P. Executive, GCh. Indy’s Drifter, and several more. He has 4 gold-ranked daughters and 11 silver-ranked, including Indy’s Lady, dam of NCh. Sponsored. A.P. Indy’s other standing sons include Bernardini, whose first crop makes their race debut this year, and NCh. Golden Text. You can read his Stallion Spotlight here.
His dam COLORS WAVING, produced 11 foals, 5 winners, and 2 stakes winners. In additional to Aptitude, she also produced MSW Ch. Waving Octopus, and SP’s Ch. Elgin, Pandora’s Box, and Delta Demon. It should be noted most of her foals are owned by FF: her 6yo, 4yo, and 3yo have only made 1 start, and her 5yo and 2yo are both unraced–hard to really judge her as a producer! She only produced 3 daughters, with 2 currently retired to broodmare duty, and only is bronze-ranked.
SIRE RECORD
At the time of this post, he is still unranked with his oldest foals being five. Aptitude has sired 6 crops with 39% starters and 67% winners. His crops have been fairly small: his oldest crop consists of 4 horses (all winners) and he only has 12 three year olds; his largest crop are 4 and 2. Between his two started 2 year olds for 2022, one is placed.
Out of 68 current stallions w/ started offspring:
- 6th in highest winning percentage of offspring
- 42nd in offspring earnings
- 48th in highest G1-placed offspring
- 48th in highest G1-winning offspring
Leading Earners
- [color=blue]SUBLIME SNOWMAN ($132,500), G2 Wyndham Stakes.
- [color=red]CH. MINOR SUMMER ($169,400), 2nd G2 Davona Dale Stakes, Ungr. Astoria Handicap.
- [color=blue]COMMON LEAD ($135,750), on the board 13/19 times.
- [color=red]NOCTURNAL ($96,000), 3rd G2 Brandywine Breeders’ Stakes.
- [color=red]PLAY THE BLUES ($74,000), G3 Deputy Minister Stakes.
Foals for Thought
Most of his foals are very lightly raced, but it appears most seem to prefer short to classic dirt, or steeplechase. A few foals have done well at sprint and classic turf, but the majority seem to have been switched to SC with mixed results. With such small crops, perhaps as his large 2yo crop get running we will see more!
Between his 4 SW/SP foals, 3 were out of create mares with the fourth being out of a Deputy Minister mare.
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Aptitude currently stands in England at Krajina for $25,000
He is NOT BC nominated and he does require approval to breed to.
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