Former NFL Star Mike Renfro Looks to Score Big in Prestigious King’s Plate

TORONTO, August 1, 2025— As former NFL wide receiver turned Thoroughbred horseman Mike Renfro will tell you, he’s been lucky enough to strike oil twice.

After 11 years playing with the Houston Oilers and the Dallas Cowboys, Renfro is part of the CJ Thoroughbreds team that will send out Tom’s Magic in the $1 million King’s Plate on August 16th at Woodbine Racetrack.

“Well, I’m not a history buff on Woodbine or the King’s Plate, but I know it’s the most prestigious Thoroughbred race in Canada, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, in its 166^th year, and that it’s a great honour to have a horse in the race,” said Renfro.

A Texan through and through, the Fort Worth native caught passes for the Oilers and Cowboys after starring at Arlington Heights High School and Texas Christian University, where in 1988 he was immortalized in the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

Renfro’s prowess on the gridiron, which also earned him a spot in the Southwest Conference and Texas Sports Hall of Fames, is matched equally by his passion for horse racing.

After hanging up the cleats in 1988, Renfro purchased his first horse – a “cheap Louisiana-bred gelding” named Dr. Death – who would go on to secure Louisiana-bred Horse of the Year honours that very season.

“I just thought, ‘What a swell life I get to live – make it to the NFL, play 11 years, go right into the sport of kings, and have a winner? I couldn’t have been more blessed,” said Renfro.

He took his involvement in the sport a step further in 1997, joining Lone Star Park in a development role which he held for 12 years.

Today, the former fourth-round pick in the 1978 NFL draft serves as Vice President of Business Development at CJ Thoroughbreds alongside President (and de facto Head Coach) Corey Johnsen and his son, Vice President CJ Johnsen.

The trio based out of Grapevine, Texas, which has specialized in horse racing, breeding, pinhooking, and more since merging forces in 2018, is brimming with excitement ahead of their first King’s Plate appearance.

“It would be the biggest prize that Mike Renfro’s ever won,” he continued. “I say that, including both sports, because I won everything there was to win in the NFL except the Super Bowl… this would be on the top of my mantle.”

The horse who could deliver the trophy to Renfro and Co. is a 3-year-old Justify colt.

Purchased for $200,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, CJ Thoroughbreds shares ownership of Tom’s Magic with an “outstanding partner” in Scott Mawaka of Mo Speed Racing.

The racehorse scouted by “the eyes of the group,” master bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, required some extra seasoning after being welcomed into the fold, but has been every bit worth the wait.

“When we bought him at Keeneland, we knew he’d take a little time to grow before sending him to a great facility in Kevin Noltemeyer’s Silver Springs Training Center in Lexington,” said Renfro, adding that most of Tom’s Magic growing took place prior at CJ Thoroughbred’s 150-acre farm in Midway, Kentucky.

“He wasn’t a first-round draft choice although his bloodlines were very good. I just think some of the really good eyeballs maybe thought he needed some time and he’d be better as a 3-year-old, which turned out to be the case.”

Under the tutelage of trainer Michael Stidham and assistant trainer Hilary Pridham, Tom’s Magic is twice a stakes winner in 2025 – first in the Black Gold on March 1 at Fair Grounds and most recently the Tale of the Cat on June 28 at Monmouth Park.

“They have been modestly pinching themselves that this is a good horse,” said Renfro. “They’ve obviously trained some great horses, and they know what one looks like.”

The sophomore out of Rahy mare Dixie Chicken shone in his stakes debut, showing remarkable burst down the lane to claim the Black Gold by two lengths at 5-1.

While Renfro wasn’t on hand to witness the stellar effort live, a review of the film offered all the validation he needed.

“Sitting where he did, and to come running so impressively, you’re happy to see that from your horse at any level – and he excelled that day.

“As a racing owner, you’re proud of everything that happens when you can win a stakes – even a smaller first time stakes – but we knew we had a race horse at that point.”

A down showing in the Transylvania Stakes (G3) next time out didn’t dampen Tom’s Magic’s spirits, as the resilient racer bred in Ontario by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry bounced back with a confident 1 ½-length tally in the Tale of the Cat.

Most, if not all the credit, Renfro said, belongs to the team of Stidham and Pridham.

In the leadup to the Plate, the pair have kept Tom’s Magic active with conditioning sessions at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland and Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky.

Everything has gone to plan thus far.

“Tom is doing wonderful,” said Renfro. “He will have had plenty of time between races. We’re excited, and most importantly, Mike and Hilary, who see him every day, couldn’t be happier.”

When Renfro touches down in Toronto with the CJ Thoroughbreds squad, it will not be his first visit to Canada’s most populous city.

That came in 1965 when a then nine-year-old Renfro accompanied his father Ray – a two-time NFL champion (1954, 1955) and three-time Pro Bowl receiver with the Cleveland Browns – who was the Detroit Lions running backs coach at the time.

Alongside competing in the Plate, there is another key difference for the now 70-year-old Renfro’s return. ​

“This time, I’ll be old enough to buy a beverage if I want to. If we can win, I’ll buy the whole room a beverage,” he laughed.

Before the bottles are popped, however, Renfro must first keep his race day nerves in check.

Running the two-minute drill and making contested catches in packed stadiums alongside Hall of Fame teammates Earl Campbell, Tony Dorsett and Dave Casper was good practice.

“I’d get nervous, sure, but I was pretty low key,” he said. “ I wouldn’t get too hyped or crazy in pregame warmups.

“My dad was coaching future Hall of Fame wide receivers in the daytime then he’d come home at night, and we’d have dinner. He’d been teaching me a few traits of how to play the game in high school, so I felt pretty polished early on.”

How all that applies to racing is a different story.

“I’m 10 times more nervous now in the horse business,” said a chuckling Renfro. “You can make all the prior decisions but how many times have you been discussing strategy like, ‘Okay, the four horse is going to break, they’ll no doubt be on the lead, you’re going to sit right off it, bide your time, be ready to kick on down the lane and you ought to be right there.’

“Fifty percent of the time it all goes out the window when the gates open. I’m a nervous wreck up to the race, and then after the race, I’m pretty chill again.”

Being a spectator, as opposed to “in the arena” as Renfro put it, can be difficult.

But leaning on his teammates and coaches – past and present – remains what he values most, no matter the venue.

“That special bond developed on a professional sports team is what most athletes that were actually in the arena will tell you was the most rewarding part of it all – working together as a team, giving it all that you physically have to ‘win the race’ just like a good equine athlete does.

“Hopefully, we will see Tom’s Magic display that same will to win in the King’s Plate.”

Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine