Millionaire Captain Squire Retired by Mullins

(from Hollywood Park notes)
The grade I winner Captain Squire, pulled up as the even-money favorite in the seventh race at Hollywood Park Wednesday, has been retired, trainer Jeff Mullins announced.

"He bled and doesn't need to run any more," said Mullins Thursday of the 7-year-old gelding. "The owners gave him to my wife. She's going to make a dressage horse out of him."

Captain Squire, who raced in six seasons, recorded nine firsts, 10 seconds and six thirds in 35 starts and earned $1,304,271 for owners Robert Bone and Jeffrey Diener. Knee problems slowed him in the past two years and he won just once in seven starts in 2006.

The Florida-bred son of Flying Chevron put Mullins on the map when his stable began to gain traction in California four years ago.

"He was my first graded stakes winner when I probably had ten horses," said Mullins. "He's a special horse. He was the first real horse I ever had. He was a little tough but he had plenty of personality. We knew how to deal with him."

Captain Squire broke his maiden at Hollywood Park in his second outing as a 2-year-old in December, 2001, with a $32,000 claiming tag. A speed horse with tenacity, he recorded his first graded stakes victory at Hollywood in May, 2002, in the Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (gr. II).

Captain Squire took Mullins around the world, finishing third in the Golden Shaheen Stakes (UAE-I) in Dubai in 2003 and fourth in the same race this March. He became a grade I winner at Santa Anita, capturing the Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Stakes in October 2005.