Texas Chrome will remain retired

Danny Keene had debated a racing comeback for his millionaire Texas Chrome, but said he recently decided against it. Texas Chrome will stand his second season at stud this coming year, at a new facility Keene has built for the horse in Hot Springs, Ark.

“I don’t think I’ll run him,” Keene said. “I woke up the other morning and I thought, ‘It’s not worth it.’ I’m looking forward to his babies hitting the ground in late January and early February.”

Keene bred a number of mares to Texas Chrome.

Texas Chrome won 9 of 22 starts, including the Grade 3 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs and Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park. He also finished second to Mor Spirit in last year’s Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park and later during the same meet became the second Texas-bred behind champion Groovy to reach $1 million in earnings.

Keene recently won the owner title at Evangeline Downs to go with his titles at Lone Star Park and Sam Houston. He sent a division of 25 horses to Evangeline.

“I was tickled,” he said. “I’d never stabled there before. The people were real nice, treated us well.”

Keene said he now plans to have a division at Evangeline’s sister track, Delta Downs in Vinton, La., which opens in October. It will be the first time he has had a stable at Delta.

“They run 11 months out of the year between Delta and Evangeline,” Keene said.

Allen Milligan is a private trainer for Keene.