Texas Chrome key player in Caldwell's career year

Texas Chrome is not the only member of his stable coming into the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday in peak form. So is his trainer, J.R. Caldwell.

Caldwell, 41, leads all trainers in wins at the current Remington Park meet, and he has already set personal records for stable earnings and stakes wins in a year. His starters through Tuesday had won 47 races in 2016, for stable earnings of $1,365,856. Of his wins, seven have come in stakes.

Texas Chrome has been a driving force behind the numbers. He has won three stakes for the barn and gave Caldwell his first graded win this month in the Grade 3 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. Texas Chrome will vie for favoritism in the Oklahoma Derby following a gutsy score for which he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“To come up to the Super Derby – a high-profile race, you’re the third favorite – to have your horse turn in a peak performance and have it all come together, right now, it’s the pinnacle of my career,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell said winning the race was one of the most memorable moments he has had in racing. The other was when he introduced his father, Roscoe Caldwell, to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Roscoe Caldwell, who has since died, operated a racing stable. Caldwell worked for his father while growing up in Idaho.

“My family did everything we could do on a small budget,” Caldwell said. “I galloped for my dad. I didn’t play any high-school sports because my dad needed me. I loved it. My dad loved it. Racing’s been a passion my whole life.”

Caldwell eventually went out on his own as a trainer, winning his first race in 1995 at Turf Paradise. He reached the milestone of 500 wins on Sept. 15 at Remington. Caldwell has been most active in the Texas market but over the last few years has branched out to Oaklawn, where he plans to return in 2017, and Remington. He intends to send a division of horses to Delta Downs for the meet that opens in October.

“Texas has been a blessing to me – a lot of good people have given me an opportunity,” said Caldwell.

That includes Danny Keene, a multiple title winner who owns Texas Chrome. Keene said he recently has focused on stepping up the quality of his operation. The result has been horses like Texas Chrome and Bling On the Music, a two-time stakes winner coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Pocahontas at Churchill.

“I love to be put in high-stress, high-passion, high-racing situations,” Caldwell said. “I thrive off the challenge. Mr. Keene has given me a challenge. He wants to win races, he wants better races, and he wants to be on that level.”

Texas Chrome gave Keene his first graded win, and Bling On the Music earned a shot at graded rivals following her 13-length win over colts in the Gold Rush at Arapahoe. Caldwell said plans for her next race are being determined, with options at Remington and Delta.

“Bling’s next big shot is going to be the Delta Princess,” he said of the Grade 3, $400,000 race in November at Delta. “How we want to prep her for that, whether at Remington or going to the My Trusty Cat to give her a start on the track, we have to make a game plan.”

Caldwell said the option at Remington is the E.L. Gaylord, a 6 1/2-furlong race for which the barn has another candidate in Country Candy, the winner of the Evangeline Downs Princess. Country Candy also will be considered for the Permian Basin at Zia, said Caldwell.

For the immediate future, Caldwell will attempt to add to his stakes totals with Texas Chrome. The Oklahoma Derby is one of 10 stakes on the card, and Caldwell also plans to run Luv Bandit in the $175,000 Governor’s Cup and Strawberry Baby in the Flashy Lady.

Pletcher ships in for stakes

Trainer Todd Pletcher has sent runners to town for the Oklahoma Derby and $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, both Sunday. Pletcher said Ready Dancer is on deck for the Oklahoma Derby. An allowance winner at the 1 1/8-mile distance of the race, Ready Dancer is coming off a fourth-place finish in the $100,000 Curlin at Saratoga. John Velazquez has the mount, said Pletcher.

Always On My Mind and Unbridled Mo will go in the Remington Oaks, according to Pletcher. Always On My Mind was an eight-length allowance winner this summer at Monmouth, and Unbridled Mo captured the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks. Pletcher said Joel Rosario will ride Always On My Mind, and Velazquez will be aboard Unbridled Mo.

Entries were scheduled to be taken Thursday.

Trainer Bret Calhoun said Dwyer Stakes winner Fish Trappe Road arrived at Remington in good order Tuesday for the Oklahoma Derby. Fish Trappe Road was among four horses who flew into town for the race. He was joined by Ready Dancer, Seeking Blame, and Sticksstatelydude, said Remington stakes coordinator Don Thompson.