Captain Steve is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

. He was bred by Roger Laubach, owned by Michael E. Pegram, and trained by Bob Baffert

Bob Baffert

Robert A. "Bob" Baffert is an American horse owner and trainer, whose horses have won three Kentucky Derbies, five Preakness Stakes, one Belmont Stakes and two Kentucky Oaks. He graduated from the University of Arizona's with a Bachelor of Science degree. -Early career:Bob Baffert began his...

. A bay foal by Fly So Free

Fly So Free

Fly So Free was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. A grandson of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Damascus, Fly So Free was owned by New York City Broadway theatre producer and music publishing company owner Tommy Valando and his wife Elizabeth.In 1990, Fly So Free capped off a...

 out of Sparkling Delite (by Vice Regent), he started 25 times, and earned $6,828,356.

Racing history

At age 2, Captain Steve won the 1999 Grade II

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 Breeders' Futurity Stakes, the Grade I Hollywood Futurity

Hollywood Futurity

The Hollywood Futurity is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1981 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The Grade I race is open to two-year-old horses and run over a distance of 1 1/16 miles...

, and the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

The Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the last week of November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky...

. He came in third in the Grade II Del Mar Futurity

Del Mar Futurity

The Del Mar Futurity is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. A Grade I event since 2007, the race is open to horses, age two, willing to race seven furlongs on Polytrack synthetic dirt and offers a purse of $250,000.The race is currently...

 and the Grade III Best Pal Stakes

Best Pal Stakes

The Best Pal Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The race is open to horses, age two, that are willing to race six and one-half furlongs on Polytrack. A Grade II event, it carries a purse of $150,000.Inaugurated in 1967 as the...

.

At age 3, he won the 2000 Grade I Swaps Stakes

Swaps Stakes

The Swaps Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses run annually at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The race is open to three-year-old horses willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it carries a purse of $350,000.Run in mid July, this race is...

, the Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap

Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap

The Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late September as part of Kentucky Cup Day at Turfway Park in the Cincinnati, Ohio suburb of Florence, Kentucky...

, and the Iowa Derby

Iowa Derby

The Iowa Derby is an American Grade III Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the last week of June at Prairie Meadows racetrack in Altoona, Iowa. Open to three-year-olds, it is contested on dirt over a distance of 11/16 miles and currently offers a purse of $250,000.-Winners since...

. He placed in the Grade I Haskell Invitational Handicap

Haskell Invitational Handicap

The Resorts Casino & Hotel Haskell Invitational is an American Grade I race for thoroughbred horses. In 1968, the Board of Directors of Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey honored its former President and Chairman Amory L. Haskell with the Amory L. Haskell Handicap, a race for older...

 and the Grade II Goodwood Handicap

Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap

The Goodwood Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1982 during the Oak Tree Racing Association at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California....

, and came in third in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Classic

Breeders' Cup Classic

The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...

, the Grade I Santa Anita Derby

Santa Anita Derby

The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $1 million. Inaugurated in 1935, it is considered the most important West Coast stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby...

, the Grade II Louisiana Derby

Louisiana Derby

The Louisiana Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Usually run in early March, the race is open to horses, age three, willing to race 11/8 miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it currently offers a purse of...

, and the Grade II Santa Catalina Stakes. Captain Steve finished eighth behind winner Fusaichi Pegasus

Fusaichi Pegasus

Fusaichi Pegasus was purchased as a yearling for $4 million by Fusao Sekiguchi. His name is a combination of his owner's name, "Fusao," and the Japanese word for one, "ichi," to mean #1 or the best. The second half is the winged horse of Greek mythology. Fusaichi Pegasus won the Kentucky Derby...

 in the 2000 Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

.

At age 4, he won the Grade I Donn Handicap

Donn Handicap

The Donn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late January/early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.The race is named after the Donn family, who for many years owned and operated the racetrack....

 and the Group I Dubai World Cup

Dubai World Cup

The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and from 2010 at the Meydan Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates...

. (UAE) He placed in the then-Grade II Stephen Foster Handicap

Stephen Foster Handicap

The Stephen Foster Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run in mid-June near the end of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet in Louisville, Kentucky...

, and showed in the Grade III San Diego Handicap

San Diego Handicap

The San Diego Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late july/early August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on Polytrack synthetic dirt...

.

From his 25 starts, he won 9, placed three times, and showed seven times.

Stud period

In 2001, he was sold to the Japan Racing Association

Japan Racing Association

The Japan Racing Association is a public company established to operate Chūō Keiba and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training facilities....

 for $5,000,000 to stand at Shizunai Stud for 1,800,000 Yen.

Origin of name

Captain Steve is named after Captain Steve Thompson, the head of the Louisville Police Department's criminal investigation division in 1997. After attending the 1997 Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

, owner Michael E. Pegram received a birthday present from his girlfriend. He didn't unwrap the present, which contained a gun, prior to attempting to clear security at the Louisville International Airport

Louisville International Airport

Louisville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport centrally located in the city of Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA. The airport covers 1,200 acres and has three runways. Its IATA airport code SDF is based on the airport's former name, Standiford Field...

 the day after the Derby and police arrested Pegram for possession of a .357 Magnum

.357 Magnum

The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...

. Pegram's best friend, trainer Bob Baffert

Bob Baffert

Robert A. "Bob" Baffert is an American horse owner and trainer, whose horses have won three Kentucky Derbies, five Preakness Stakes, one Belmont Stakes and two Kentucky Oaks. He graduated from the University of Arizona's with a Bachelor of Science degree. -Early career:Bob Baffert began his...

, winner of the Kentucky Derby the previous day with Silver Charm

Silver Charm

Silver Charm is an American Champion Thoroughbred race horse. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Gary Stevens, Silver Charm will be remembered most for winning the 1997 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in the Triple Crown....

, called the Louisville Police Department and spoke with Captain Thompson. After listening to Baffert's story, Captain Thompson intervened with the presiding judge, drove to the police station and picked up Pegram. When the 1997 bay son of Fly So Free

Fly So Free

Fly So Free was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. A grandson of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Damascus, Fly So Free was owned by New York City Broadway theatre producer and music publishing company owner Tommy Valando and his wife Elizabeth.In 1990, Fly So Free capped off a...

came along, Pegram is reported as saying, "I want to name him Captain Steve, after my savior."