HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Long before Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls as quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, went on to a high-profile broadcasting career, entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, there were horses in his life. And there continues to be. Bradshaw is partners in both the unbeaten Taken by the Wind, who is set to run Sunday at Oaklawn Park in the Grade 3, $750,000 Honeybee Stakes, and the 3-year-old Power Aura, who launches his career Saturday at Gulfstream Park. “I grew up with Clydesdales,” said Bradshaw, 77. “My grandfather used Clydesdales to plow, and I used to ride the Clydesdales in the pasture. It was 40 acres – 20 acres of cotton and 20 acres of watermelon. What a great life. And the smell of horse sweat, and to feed them, and the giant gentleness, I’ve had a love affair ever since.” In the last year, Bradshaw has jumped back into the Thoroughbred business after an absence. He is partnering on seven racehorses. “I needed a little bit of an adrenaline rush in the animals,” Bradshaw said. “One of my partners at FOX is Curt Menefee, and Curt was talking about Kenny McPeek and what a wonderful guy he was and then Kenny ended up winning the Derby and the Oaks. “I thought, ‘Well here, let me talk to this guy, let me see what he’s like.’ I enjoy talking to [trainers]. They’re fun to be around. I talked to Kenny, and Kenny was just a good ole down-home, hardworking Thoroughbred trainer, and I went, ‘I like this guy,’ so I put some money in on this one horse, Power Aura.” :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Power Aura is a son of Cloud Computing owned by Bradshaw and Magdalena Racing. He starts in Saturday’s fifth race at Gulfstream, a maiden special weight on the Fountain of Youth undercard. Bradshaw went on to invest in other young prospects trained by McPeek, including a daughter from the first crop of Rock Your World. Taken by the Wind has come out running for her ownership that also includes Magdalena Racing, Graham Leveston, and Raasi Stable. She’s won her three career starts, including the Grade 3 Pocahontas last September at Churchill Downs and the Silverbulletday on Jan. 17 at Fair Grounds. Taken by the Wind ranks sixth in qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks, with 30. “We’ve put a nice group of people together and we’re going to enjoy the journey with her,” McPeek said. “She’s done everything right, just been real pleased with her. She’s a big, pretty filly. She kind of physically reminds me a bit of Take Charge Lady.” Bradshaw brings a lot of enthusiasm to racing, according to McPeek. “He’s a lot of fun to deal with,” McPeek said. “I’ve enjoyed the conversations. I mean, he’s exactly like he is on TV. For those that have watched him over the years during his career, he’s just an interesting person and I think he brings a lot of energy. He loves horses, and we’re going to have fun with it.” For his part, Bradshaw said he has enjoyed getting to know McPeek. “I love my relationship with him,” he said. “He’s a good guy. He’s also a horseman. He’s a horseman.” Bradshaw understands the term and all it implies because he, himself, is a seasoned horseman. He has a large-scale commercial breeding operation focused on pleasure and halter horses. It’s produced numerous champions across several disciplines. “I’ve been in the Quarter Horse business 43 years,” Bradshaw said. “We stand 12 studs, probably five of the 12 are top-five horses. I have the last Supreme Champion in the AQHA, BRTSendingmyregards. Gorgeous gray – racehorse, barrel racing, cattle – I mean, he can do it all. Plus, I have all my halter horses, and I have one of the top-five pleasure studs, named Extremely Hot Chips.” BRTSendingmyregards is just the 52nd individual in AQHA history to earn the supreme champion designation, which recognizes Quarter Horses for excellence across several disciplines, according to the organization’s website. Bradshaw said he has no immediate plans to get into the breeding side of the Thoroughbred industry, but he has a pair of Thoroughbred mares he’s breeding to BRTSendingmyregards with the purpose of producing racing Quarter Horses. “I think they are going to race,” Bradshaw said. “The kids love it. One of my daughters has already won 19 world titles showing pleasure horses. So, she’s quite the enthusiast. My son-in-law, I don’t know how many world titles he’s won. So, we have a horse family, but we’re not necessarily Thoroughbreds. I’m getting us in there.” Bradshaw’s background with horses has given him a level-headed approach to racing. He previously had partnered on both Louisiana Derby winner Mission Impazible and Donn winner Graydar through Twin Creek Racing Stable. “One of the greatest pictures I have was when I walked Graydar off the track after we won the Grade 2” New Orleans Handicap, Bradshaw recalled. “They said, ‘You want to walk your stud off the track?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely!’ What an awesome deal. “I wish I would have never gotten out. I love the Thoroughbred industry. I love the sport of it and I love the deal making. I’ve done well pinhooking. And the horses, they’re beautiful. I’ll be in the business now until the day I die.” The Honeybee is an important next step for Taken by the Wind as a points race for the Kentucky Oaks, but Bradshaw is taking it all in stride with his trademark sense of humor. Taken by the Wind is his top prospect to make it to Churchill Downs the first weekend in May. “Right now, we’ve got a filly who is a competitive filly,” Bradshaw said. “It’s fun and we’re enjoying it. I do think you have to control yourself because you can get carried away and be disappointed. But I mean, golly, I’ve already got everybody coming to the Derby and the Oaks!” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.