Wyfire, Bell Dozer go out for Toby Keith's stable

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Toby Keith will be at Oaklawn Park in spirit Friday, as the country music superstar, who died Monday night, has two horses racing on the card in partnership with Danny Caldwell.

“He’ll be watching from above, trust me,” Caldwell said.

Keith and Caldwell came together a few years ago to form Country Bro Stables, and it is under that nom de course in which Wyfire runs in the third race and Bell Dozer goes in the sixth. The claiming races are part of a 10-race program that includes a conditioned-allowance at a mile that drew leading contenders Commandperformance, Major Blue, Payne, and Osbourne.

The races were drawn last Friday. Keith, 62, lost his battle with stomach cancer a few days later in his home state of Oklahoma.

“He fought hard and had been a trooper through the whole thing,” Caldwell said.

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A few years ago, Keith, who also bred and raced horses in the name of his Dream Walkin’ Farms, suggested a partnership on some horses with Caldwell. Caldwell is the all-time winningest owner at Remington and a multiple title winner at Oaklawn and Prairie Meadows. It was at Remington in 2012, where the men first met.

“We met on the elevator and kept running against each other, and he said, ‘I’m getting tired of getting beat by you,’ ” Caldwell recalled. “We’ve been friends ever since. He came up with the idea a couple of years ago of claiming some horses together.

“He loved researching the pedigrees and I do my research on claiming. One reason he wanted to partner with me is because he didn’t do a lot [claiming]. He thought we’d make a good team. He was a resource for me to go to on pedigrees.”

The men claimed Wyfire for $10,000 out of his most recent start Jan. 6. He finished sixth in the mud and runs back for the same price in a six-furlong race that drew 12.

“I pray that horse runs good,” Caldwell said. “I think he’s in a good spot.

“He was steadied really bad last time, went off one of the favorites. We got him back in a better conditioned race this time. He fits really well. I’m not saying he’s going to win, but he fits the race really well.”

Ramon Vazquez has the mount from post 9 for trainer Eusebio Rufino.

Rufino is new to Caldwell’s operation, which has longtime trainer Federico Villafranco wintering this year at Delta Downs. Rufino is based at Oaklawn.

“Eusebio worked with [trainer] Bill Martin for 15 years,” Caldwell said. “He’s been around it a long time. He works hard.”

Rufino also trains Bell Dozer, who goes in a $20,000 conditioned-claiming sprint. Bell Dozer is a class play, as he faced steeper in his most recent out and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. In the same race, Dream Walkin’ Farms is represented by Smackzilla.

All afternoon, Caldwell will no doubt be thinking of Keith.

“He truly knew racing inside and out,” Caldwell said. “He knew how to read a pedigree, knew how to read a Form. It’s a great loss for racing.

“He told me a couple of months ago when we were walking to the paddock, ‘You know, I’ve had a great life, done a lot of things a lot of people haven’t got to do, and my family is set. I’m sure going to miss these horses.’ ”

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