Two-time Oklahoma Horse of the Year Welder is costing Remington Park a lot of money in ink. Virtually every time he steps on the track here, Remington has to re-write its history book.
Such is the case on Saturday, Dec. 19, when this 7-year-old Oklahoma-bred millionaire gelding will be trying to tie the track record for most career wins at Remington Park – 15. If he wins the $34,000 Guthrie Sprint allowance race on the next-to-last night of racing this meet, he would move into a three-way tie with Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy. Each of those horses won 15 times at Remington Park. The Guthrie goes as the eighth race and is scheduled to go to post at 10:23pm-Central.
“It would be exciting to tie the win record but I am so happy with everything he has done so far in his career that I'm just pleased he is still running and winning,” Luneack said. “Welder is training really well. It was a nice easy workout for him Thursday. He should be happy and ready.”
Welder worked five furlongs over a fast track at Remington Park on Dec. 10 with regular jockey David Cabrera aboard, going in 1:03.47, handily.
The last time Welder raced here, he won the $70,000 Silver Goblin Stakes on Nov. 13. He set a new record in that event, winning his 11th career stakes at Remington, breaking the tie he held with Okie Ride in that category. It was also the 11th stakes win in a row here for the gelded son of The Visualiser, out of the Tiznow mare Dance Softly. That was a record he already owned and was extending.
Here is a quick look at the other records this greased-streak of gray lightning has set along the way under the tutelage of trainer Teri Luneack for owner Ra-Max Farms (Clayton Rash), both of Claremore, Okla.
- Two-time Oklahoma Horse of the Year (2018 & 2019).
- Only horse in Remington Park history (since 1988) that has won back-to-back Horse of the Meet trophies (2018 & 2019).
- Only horse in Remington Park history to win four stakes races in one season (2018).
- Set track record for six furlongs of 1:08.13 in winning the David M. Vance Stakes on Sept. 29, 2019.
- Eleven consecutive stakes wins in a row at Remington Park – two Remington Park Turf Sprints (one was taken off the turf and moved to a sloppy main track), four wins in the Silver Goblin Stakes, three wins in the Oklahoma Classics Sprint, and two David M. Vance Stakes.
An indication of just how well Luneack has prepped this big-hearted Okie-bred the past couple of years could be seen as far back as the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes on March 9, 2019 at Oaklawn Park when he ran two lengths behind Whitmore. All Whitmore did was come back and win the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint by 3-1/4 lengths. Those two could meet again during the 2021 Oaklawn season next spring.
Welder was made the 6-5 morning line favorite for the Guthrie allowance by Remington Park odds-maker Jerry Shottenkirk. The seven-horse field includes two horses that have actually finished ahead of Welder in the past. That pair – Share the Upside (5-1) and D' Rapper (6-1) – have not, however, beaten Welder on the track he loves the most, Remington Park.
Share the Upside, from Remington Park all-time leading trainer (by wins) Steve Asmussen's barn, also ran in the 2019 Hot Springs Stakes and finished a half-length ahead of Welder for second in that race. D' Rapper last beat Welder this summer by 1-1/4 lengths in the Iowa Sprint Stakes at Prairie Meadows on July 5. Welder beat D' Rapper in the $150,000 David Vance Stakes by 7-3/4 lengths, the last time they went head-to-head at Remington Park, in September 2019.
Welder has started 19 times in Oklahoma City and won 14 of those for $819,859 here. Overall, Welder has won 25 of 37 starts, run second five times and third four times for lifetime earnings of $1,179,018. Luneack found him as a yearling at Center Hills Farms' division in Pryor, Okla., at Mighty Acres and Rash purchased him for $6,400.
If Welder can extend his win records and keep accumulating records, he could be well on his way to his third Oklahoma Horse of the Year and unprecedented third Remington Park Horse of the Meet.
“The prospect of having a third year Horse of the Meet is unimaginable,” said Luneack.
Here's a look at the field in the Guthrie allowance, race eight on Dec. 19, from rail to the outside with horse, trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:
1) Gordy Florida: Kenny Smith, Richard Eramia, 12-1
2) Direct Dial: Danny Pish, Lane Luzzi, 9-2
3) Welder: Teri Luneack, David Cabrera, 6-5 (morning-line favorite)
4) American Dubai: Clinton Stuart, Ken Tohill, 10-1
5) Tiz Alluptome Now: Steve Asmussen, Kevin Roman, 8-1
6) D' Rapper: Oscar Flores, (no rider named), 6-1
7) Share the Upside: Steve Asmussen, Stewart Elliott, 5-1
Remington Park live racing continues with five more race dates left in this 2020 season. Action resumes Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 14 & 15 with the first race at Noon. The final weekend is Friday through Sunday, Dec. 18-20. The first race on Friday night is at 5pm, featuring the $200,000 Springboard Mile. The Saturday and Sunday programs each begin at 7:07pm. All times are Central.
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