{"id":2747,"date":"2025-05-04T18:01:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-04T18:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/?p=2747"},"modified":"2025-05-04T18:01:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-04T18:01:14","slug":"dont-forget-to-cheer-for-country-music-legend-toby-keiths-horse-render-judgement-in-the-kentucky-derby-tomorrow-may-3rd-%f0%9f%90%8e-it-was-tobys-drea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/?p=2747","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t forget to cheer for country music legend Toby Keith\u2019s horse, \u201cRender Judgement,\u201d in the Kentucky Derby tomorrow (May 3rd)! \ud83d\udc0e It was Toby\u2019s dream to have a horse run in the Derby \u2014 let\u2019s make some noise for him!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Introduction<\/h3>\n
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Toby Keith will always be remembered as more than just a country music icon. While millions loved him for his powerful voice and enduring hits, many also knew him as a man deeply connected to his roots\u2014an avid supporter of the University of Oklahoma and a generous heart behind The Toby Keith Foundation, which helps children battling cancer. But there\u2019s another side of Toby that some fans may not know: his deep love for horse racing.<\/p>\n

Long before his final curtain call, Toby had developed a sincere passion for the sport of kings. In the late 1990s, he began investing in racehorses, eventually managing what was once described as \u201cseveral hundred\u201d horses under his ownership. His involvement in the racing world grew so strong that he later served as an ambassador for the prestigious Breeders\u2019 Cup.<\/p>\n

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Toby raced his thoroughbreds under the name\u00a0Dream Walkin\u2019 Farms<\/strong>, a 330-acre facility in Oklahoma dedicated to breeding and training elite racehorses. In 2021, he teamed up with fellow horseman Danny Caldwell to establish\u00a0Country Bro Stables<\/strong>. While his horses competed across the country, Remington Park in Oklahoma City remained his home turf\u2014a place where his racing journey truly came alive.<\/p>\n

His stables were more than just a hobby\u2014they were a winning force. According to\u00a0Equibase<\/em>\u00a0data, Dream Walkin\u2019 Farms has amassed 848 wins since 2001. Meanwhile, Country Bro Stables has secured 39 victories out of 264 races. Among his standout horses were\u00a0Cactus Ridge<\/strong>,\u00a0Smack Smack<\/strong>, and\u00a0Three Chords<\/strong>, each a testament to Toby\u2019s dedication and sharp eye for potential on the track.<\/p>\n

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After Toby\u2019s passing in February 2024, longtime trainer\u00a0Bret Calhoun<\/strong>\u00a0spoke with the\u00a0San Gabriel Valley Tribune<\/em>, remembering his friend not just as a public figure, but as someone truly passionate about the sport:<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a guy who loved horse racing, all facets of it. He loved the breeding part of it, the racing, and he was a big promoter of horse racing. Just an overall good guy. A patriotic guy. He was one of those guys that everyone wanted to be around\u2026\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That sentiment was echoed by Toby\u2019s daughter,\u00a0Krystal Keith<\/strong>, in a heartfelt tribute shared not long after:<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad could never decide which passion was greater, music or horse racing. He could have had a PhD in horse pedigrees.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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It\u2019s clear that horse racing wasn\u2019t just a pastime for Toby Keith\u2014it was a lifelong love that paralleled his music career. In the same way he poured his heart into every lyric, he devoted himself to the world of thoroughbreds, always chasing something greater, something deeply personal. His legacy continues not only through the songs that still echo in our hearts but also through the horses that thunder down the track, carrying his dream with every stride.<\/p>\n