Steppenwolfer 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...

 stallion

Stallion

A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...

 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 sired by Aptitude, who in turn was the son of the 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year

Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year

The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....

 and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...

 inductee, A.P. Indy

A.P. Indy

A.P. Indy is a champion stallion Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky, USA, by William Farish III and William Kilroy. He is known for his ancestry, his own record, and his successful progeny. He was sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew through mare Weekend Surprise, who herself was sired...

, out of the mare, Wolfer.

He was a contender for the Triple Crown

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...

 in 2006, but fell short by finishing third to Barbaro

Barbaro

Barbaro was an American thoroughbred who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but shattered his leg two weeks later in the 2006 Preakness Stakes, ending his racing career and eventually leading to his death....

 in the 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...

.

Steppenwolfer was gelded

Gelding

A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...

 in 2009 and was retrained for steeplechasing. He had not won any of his starts in 2009 or 2010.

Connections

Steppenwolfer is owned by Robert and Lawana Low. He is trained by Daniel Pietz and is ridden by Robby Albarado

Robby Albarado

Robby J. Albarado is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began riding at the age of 12 at bush tracks in his native Louisiana and after turning professional, earned his first win at Evangeline Downs in 1990...

. He was bred in Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

 by Nursery Place & Partners. He was first owned by two very successful horseman John Mayer the owner of Nursery Place Farm and his wife's brother Happy Broadbent. He was walked as a yearling by the two sons of John Mayer, Griffin the older of the two and Walker the younger, and then sold as a two year old for $25,000.

Races

Finish	Race	Distance	Track	Condition
3rd	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...	One and a quarter miles (Dirt)	Churchill Downs Churchill Downs Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...	Fast
2nd	Arkansas Derby
3rd	Rebel Stakes Rebel Stakes The Rebel Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race held annually in March at Oaklawn Park racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Open to three-year-old horses, it is raced on dirt over a distance of 11/16 miles...	One and One-Sixteenth Miles	Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Park is an American thoroughbred racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to The Racing Festival of the South.In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Ten, Oaklawn was ranked...	Fast
2nd	Southwest Stakes Southwest Stakes The Southwest Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas in mid February during the President's Day weekend. The race is open to three-year-old horses willing to race one mile on the dirt and currently offers a purse of $250,000...	One Mile	Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Park is an American thoroughbred racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to The Racing Festival of the South.In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Ten, Oaklawn was ranked...	Fast
1st	Allowance	One Mile	Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Park Oaklawn Park is an American thoroughbred racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to The Racing Festival of the South.In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Ten, Oaklawn was ranked...	Good
1st	Allowance Optional Claiming	One and One-Sixteenths Mile	Fair Grounds Race Course Fair Grounds Race Course Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC....  at Louisiana Downs	Fast
3rd	Allowance Optional Claiming	One and One-Sixteenths Miles	Fair Grounds Race Course Fair Grounds Race Course Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC....  at Louisiana Downs	Fast
1st	Maiden	Seven Furlongs	Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...	Fast
5th	Maiden	Six Furlongs (Turf)	Belmont Park Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...	Good