Toby Keith’s Passion For Horse Racing Was Second Only To His Love For Country Music
Singer, songwriter, horse breeder? Many fans may be surprised to learn that, along with building a flourishing country music career, Toby Keith oversaw a successf
ul horse breeding and training operation for 30+ years. His daughter, Krystal Keith, said:
âMy dad could never decide which passion was greater, music or horse racing. He could have had a PhD in horse pedigrees.âÂ
The late country music icon began owning race horses in the late 1990s and at his peak, had âseveral hundredâ under his banner. Toby competed under Dream Walkinâ Farms, a 330-acre Oklahoma-based breeding and racing
Later, in 2021, he established Country Bro Stables with Danny Caldwell. While his horses competed at various venues nationwide, Toby called Remington Park in Oklahoma City his home track.
Toby Keith’s Kentucky Derby Dreams Realized
According to his family, having a horse in the Kentucky Derby was a lifelong dream for the late musician. When this year’s post positions were announced on April 26th, Toby’s team shared the thrilling news that his horse, Render Judgment, had made the cut!
Out of 20,000+ horses born in the same year who are eligible to race, only 20 get the opportunity. Prior to the draw, Render Judgment sat in the 21st rank on the leaderboard. However, he entered the draw due to an injury that caused another horse to pull out of the race.
The up-and-coming race horse is a three-year-old Bay Colt bred in Kentucky who is co-owned by Dream Walkin’ Farms. He was trained by Kenny McPeek, who also trained last yearâs Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. Jockey Julien Leparoux rode Render Judgment for the first time at the race.
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