oklahoma classics sprint | Horse Racing Free Tips

Shannon C Finally Gets Best Of Welder In Oklahoma Classics Sprint

Twice last year, Welder, the all-time winningest horse in Remington Park history with 16 victories, had beaten Shannon C. Twice in 2018, Welder was an easy winner over Shannon C.

The fifth time is apparently the charm as Shannon C finally got the best of Welder, who made the final start of his career, running third in the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint, presented by The Kaw Nation, on Friday night here.

“Shannon has been an iron horse from Day One,” said trainer Scott Young. “Today was his day. It took a while but he showed why his breeders, Bob and Ted (Smith), breed horses to Miranda Diane. It's come full circle now. He got that Oklahoma Classics win that we've been shooting for, for what? The past four years.”

It was Young's first trip to the winner's circle in an Oklahoma Classics race as well as jockey Leandro Goncalves. Welder broke well, but veered out to the outside after leaving the gate. Shannon C, a 6-year-old gelding by Latent Heat, out of the Fistfite mare Miranda Diane, is a horse that likes to shoot for the front, but did not show that speed Friday night. Goncalves was mystified that Shannon C wasn't on the early lead.

“He is one of the fastest horses out of the gate I've ever ridden, but not tonight,” said Goncalves. “So, I was waiting and when I asked him to run, he just took off and ran like he was the best horse today.”

“Leandro said he had to go to plan B (because of the slow break) and it worked,” Young said.

It was the second stakes win in a row to the versatile Shannon C. He had won the Remington Park Turf Sprint Stakes on Sept. 24. That was a 5-furlong sprint on the grass. Friday night's win was a 6-furlong sprint over the fast main track.

Welder's owner Ra-Max Farms (Clayton Rash of Claremore, Okla.), before the race had wished Young good luck.

“I'm glad if Welder had to lose it was to this horse,” said Rash. “It's OK. I said before the race that, win or lose, we would be retiring him and we'll stick to that.”

“We knew it was time and we wanted him to retire sound and safe,” said Welder's trainer Teri Luneack. “He has done everything we've ever asked of him and he didn't owe us a thing going into this race.”

Now it seems a horse that Welder had beaten by 4-3/4 lengths, 6-1/4 lengths, 6-1/2 lengths, and a neck, the last four times they faced each other may be the heir apparent as top Oklahoma-bred sprinter on the grounds. Welder had won this race the past three years in a row and was trying to tie Highland Ice and Okie Ride for four wins in this race.

Shannon C drew away impressively at the end, winning by three lengths at 5-1 odds. He paid $12.80, $6.40, and $3.20 across the board. Young trained horses ran 1-2 in the race as Mesa Moon (2-1) held off Welder by one length.

The remaining order of finish in the Classics Sprint was Euromantic (4th), Fast Breakin Cash (5th), No Lak of Speed (6th), Fly to the Bank (7th), and D Toz (8th).

Shannon C earned $78,000 for the win and improved to 27 starts, seven wins, 11 seconds, and two thirds for $368,766 in earnings. He chased early fractions set by Fly to the Bank of :22.15 for the first quarter-mile, :45.30 for the half-mile, :57.68 for five-eighths of a mile, and a final time of 1:10.12. He was bred by B and S Racing of Springfield, Mo., the owner.

The Sprint was the first win in the Oklahoma Classics for all of the connections.

Welder was sent off as the wagering favorite at 4-5 odds in his final race. He finishes his career with 16 wins at Remington Park and a final record of 44 starts, 27 wins, five seconds, and seven thirds for $1,265,031 in earnings. He holds records at Remington Park as the only three-time Horse of the Meet, the six-furlong sprint record of 1:08.13 in the 2019 David M. Vance Stakes, three-time Oklahoma Horse of the Year, the only horse to win four stakes races in one meet at Remington Park, and a record 11 stakes wins in a row here.

The Oklahoma Classics is a $1,000,000 series of stakes races devoted to Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbreds.

Remington Park racing continues Saturday, Oct. 16 with the first race at 7:07 pm Central.

The post Shannon C Finally Gets Best Of Welder In Oklahoma Classics Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Welder Goes For One More Record Before Calling It A Career

Remington Park's all-time winningest horse, Welder, will be trying to wrap up his career in racing with another record to add to his lengthy record book.

Owner Clayton Rash of Claremore, Okla., and trainer Teri Luneack have indicated that when this millionaire Oklahoma-bred 8-year-old gelding goes to post on Friday, Oct. 15 in the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint, sponsored by The Kaw Nation, that it will likely be his final race. The sprint is all part of the night of Oklahoma-bred stars competing in divisional stakes events for $1 million-plus in purse money at the Oklahoma City, Okla., track.

If Welder, a gelded son of The Visualiser, out of the Tiznow mare Dance Softly, wins Friday night it will be his fourth consecutive victory in the Sprint, and it would tie for most wins in this stakes race with Okie Ride and Highland Ice. Highland Ice won four in a row from 1996-1999. Okie Ride won in 2011 and 2012, missed two years, and then returned to the winner's circle in 2015 and 2016.

Welder has won 16 races at Remington Park, more than any other horse since 1988 when the track opened. He was purchased from Mighty Acres Farms in Pryor, Okla., for $6,750 as a yearling and has earned $1,250,731. His record is 43 starts, 27 wins, five seconds, and six thirds. At Remington Park, he has won 16 of 22 times for $876,712.

“I really like his draw (outside 8-post),” said Luneack. “I would like Welder to be remembered as the working man's horse. He made his million the hard way.”

Among other records Welder, the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the race, has set in his career here are:

The only horse to win Remington Park Horse of the Meet more than once. He has received awards as Horse of the Meet in 2018, 2019, and 2020

Three-time Oklahoma Horse of the Year in those same years

Set track record at Remington for 6 furlongs in 1:08.13 in the David M. Vance Stakes on Sept. 29, 2019

Holds record here for most stakes wins in a row – 11. He won two Remington Park Turf Sprints (one on a muddy main track), four wins in the Silver Goblin Stakes, three wins in the Oklahoma Classics Sprint, and two wins in the David M. Vance Stakes.

This year's edition of the Sprint drew eight horses and every horse in the race has been beaten by Welder at least once. Welder was bred in Oklahoma by Center Hills Farm. Mighty Acres is a subsidiary for them.

Mesa Moon (9-2) has been made the second favorite in the race. He is a non-stakes winner and finished behind fourth morning-line favorite Shannon C (6-1) in the Remington Park Turf Sprint last time out. Mesa Moon's record on the dirt is similar to Shannon C's, however. Mesa Moon has won three of six on the main track for $104,543 earned while Shannon C is two of six on dirt with $104,338 banked. The third choice in the morning line is Fast Breakin Cash (5-1) who has made $201,593 on the main track.

Shannon C, a two-time stakes winner, is the second-highest earner in the field with $290,766 banked in 26 starts. Mesa Moon has won $133,345 in 10 starts and Fast Breakin Cash has won $219,849 in 20 tries.

The field for the Sprint from the rail out with horse, jockey, trainer, and odds are:

Fast Breakin Cash, Ramon Vazquez, C.R. Trout, 5-1
No Lak of Speed, Luis Quinonez, Jesse Oberlander, 10-1
Euromantic, Alfredo Triana, Jr., Victor Hanson, 8-1
Shannon C, Leandro Goncalves, Scott Young, 6-1
Fly to the Bank, Carlos Montalvo, James Helzer, 15-1
D Toz, Lane Luzzi, Danny Pish, 20-1
Mesa Moon, Floyd Wethey, Jr., Scott Young, 9-2
Welder, David Cabrera, Teri Luneack, 6-5

The Classics Sprint is the third race of 10 on Oct. 15 with an approximate start time of 8:05 pm. The big night of state-bred stakes events is underway at 7:07 pm. All times are Central.

The post Welder Goes For One More Record Before Calling It A Career appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘So Proud Of Him’: Welder Continues Assault On Remington Park Record Books

In 2016, Welder ran second in the Oklahoma Classics Sprint to Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame runner Okie Ride.

Four years later, if Welder wins the $70,000 Silver Goblin Stakes on Friday, Nov. 13, he will pass Okie Ride for most stakes wins in the history of Remington Park with 11. Welder, a 7-year-old gelding owned by Ra-Max Farms (Clayton Rash) of Claremore, Okla., would also pass Okie Ride for most wins in the Silver Goblin Stakes with a fourth career score in the event.

The son of The Visualiser, out of the Tiznow mare Dance Softly Now, is trained by Teri Luneack and ridden by Remington Park leading rider David Cabrera. Another score in the Silver Goblin Stakes would also give Welder his 11th stakes win in a row, extending that Remington Park record he already holds at 10 consecutive.

Welder holds the main track record for six furlongs 1:08.13, set in the David Vance Stakes on Sept. 29, 2019. He was voted Oklahoma's Horse of the Year for the second year in a row in 2019 and is the only horse ever voted Remington Park's Horse of the Meet in two consecutive years. A win Friday would move him to within one of the all-time victories total at Remington Park. He would have 14, one behind Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy.

Welder is the most recent Oklahoma-bred to become a millionaire. He became the eighth Oklahoma-bred to achieve the mark when he won the TRAO Classic Sprint in April this year at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore. It was his fifth consecutive win in that stakes event.

Asked what record or accolade Welder holds or is chasing that has meant the most to her, Luneack said, “the most significant thing for us was when he passed the $1 million mark. It was the one goal that Clayton and I talked about and had set.”

As far as her favorite stakes win for Welder, Luneack said it had to be the David M. Vance Stakes in 2019.

“I was so proud of him for beating all those shippers that came in from around the country,” said Luneack. “The funniest story I heard was that the shippers were over in the test barn and they were all asking (the veterinarian), 'What is this Okie-bred doing in this race?' And he said, 'because he is one fast SOB.' Winning that race was my proudest moment with him.”

An indication of just how fast this gray streak of lightning is came in the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas on March 9, 2019. He came up against a legendary sprinter, Whitmore, in that race. That 7-year-old gelding just won the Breeders' Cup Sprint this past weekend by 3-1/4 lengths at Keeneland. In the Hot Springs Stakes, he beat Welder by two lengths.

“Whitmore is a war horse,” Luneack said. “I was screaming so much for him to win (the BC Sprint). “I respect him so much. No one is more deserving of that win. If they do bring him back (at 8 years old, just like Welder) for Oaklawn, I imagine we could run into him again. We have every intention to run Welder in Hot Springs. It all depends on the Oklahoma weather that time of year.

“We run into a problem, since we don't have stalls (at Oaklawn), of vanning him over there and finding a track to work him on leading up to the race,” Luneack noted. Will Rogers Downs, Welder's local track, is not open early in the year for workouts, when Oaklawn begins racing.

The first major sprint race on Oaklawn's calendar is the King Cotton Stakes on Feb. 6 at six furlongs.

Okie Ride was inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2017. He won four Oklahoma Classics Sprints, three Silver Goblin Stakes and three Remington Park Turf Sprints. He was owned by the Richter Family Trust of Perkins, Okla. and conditioned by Kenny Nolen.

“I do remember running second to him with Welder,” said Luneack. “You don't like to lose, but he was such a cool horse and meant so much to Kenny. I was genuinely happy for Kenny. I was sad we lost, but it's okay to lose to a horse like that.”

Welder has been made the 2-5 morning-line favorite to break and extend another set of Remington Park records Friday night in a field of six horses.

Here's a look at this year's edition of the Silver Goblin Stakes, 6-1/2 furlongs for Oklahoma-breds, three and older, with post positions, horse, jockey, trainer and morning line odds:

1) Fly to the Bank: Lindey Wade, James Helzer, 12-1

2) Welder: David Cabrera, Teri Luneack, 2-5 (morning-line favorite)

3) Rockport Kat: Richard Eramia, Teri Luneack, 15-1

4) Dominante: Obed Sanchez, Shon Dunlap, 20-1

5) No Lak of Speed: Luis Quinonez, Jesse Oberlander, 8-1

6) Quality Rocket: Garrett Steinberg, Boyd Caster, 3-1

The Silver Goblin Stakes is the eighth race of nine on Friday night. The first race is set for 7:07pm, with the Silver Goblin Stakes scheduled for 10:23pm.

The Silver Goblin Stakes is named after another Oklahoma-bred millionaire who was adept at winning stakes races at both sprint distances and at more than one mile in the 1990s.

Remington Park will also conduct a Saturday card on Nov. 14, beginning at 7:07pm.

The post ‘So Proud Of Him’: Welder Continues Assault On Remington Park Record Books appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Two-Time Oklahoma Horse Of The Year Welder Wins Third Straight Oklahoma Classics Sprint

Oklahoma's two-time Horse of the Year, Welder, won the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint for the third year in a row Friday night at Remington Park. The lightning fast gray gelding could well be headed toward Horse of the Year status again.

The 7-year-old son of The Visualiser, out of the Tiznow mare Dance Softly, won his 10th stakes race in a row at Remington Park, extending his record in that category. He toyed with this field of six for the first half-mile of the six-furlongs, and when jockey David Cabrera pushed the button?

“He grabbed the bit and said, 'See ya!'” said Cabrera. “He is usually very aggressive, but tonight, whew. He really wanted to win this.”

Trainer Teri Luneack agreed with her rider.

“It's been everything we could do to control him (at the farm),” she said. “I feel so bad for Courtney (Scanling, Luneack's assistant). She has to hand walk him every day and sometimes he gets a little country. He ran a great race. I'm so proud of him. This was a tremendous team effort from top to bottom at the barn.”

Owner Clayton Rash (Ra-Max Farms), of Claremore, Okla., was wearing his lucky OU Sooners red sweatshirt. He said it really helps to have a horse like this that doesn't have a down year, especially when your football team has started at two wins, two losses.

“It really does help,” Rash said with a belly laugh. He goes to the barn three or four times a week just to scratch Welder's nose. “He even knows my cologne now. I'm a man of loyalty and I will continue to wear my Sooners stuff.”

This millionaire gelding, bred at Center Hills Farm's division at Mighty Acres Ranch in Pryor, Okla., isn't getting older; he's getting better. Welder took another step toward the all-time winningest record at Remington Park. This was his 13th win in 17 tries in Oklahoma City. He is now two wins away from tying Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy, who won 15 races each in their Remington Park careers.

Luneack had a good feeling about Welder all week with him jumping out of his skin.

“He can be really crabby when the girls go in (the barn) until they break out the peppermints,” she said. “Courtney is in charge of the crazy with him so I don't have to. I thought that close win on the grass might have taken something out of him, but it didn't.”

Welder won the Remington Park Turf Sprint in his last start on Sept. 25, grinding out a neck-long victory in what has been determined to be his one and only turf start.

In the Classics Sprint, Welder sat just off the pace set by 3-year-old gelding Mesa Moon and then took over in the stretch, cruising to a four-length win as the heavy betting favorite at 2-5 odds. He covered the six furlongs in 1:09.78 seconds and paid $2.80 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. Mesa Moon (2-1 odds) held on for second, 2-1/4 lengths in front of No Lak of Speed. The interior fractions were :22.13 seconds for the first quarter-mile, :44.96 for the half-mile, and :57.18 for five-eighths of a mile.

Welder is expected to make his next trip to Remington Park for the Silver Goblin Stakes on Friday, Nov. 13. After that, if Welder doesn't have another race in Oklahoma City, Oaklawn Park is a strong possibility in Hot Springs, Ark., for his 8-year-old year debut.

“Like I am with my Sooners and Welder, I'm very loyal to Oaklawn,” said Rash. “I've been going there for the races since I was 18 years old.” That's over about a five-decade period now. There are two more loyalties Rash has no problem divulging.

“David and Teri are both phenomenal with Welder,” Rash said. “I can't tell you how much they mean to me.”

Welder earned $78,000 for the win and now has raced 36 times, won 24 and finished second five times and third four times. His lifetime bankroll is $1,137,018.

The post Two-Time Oklahoma Horse Of The Year Welder Wins Third Straight Oklahoma Classics Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post