Highland Ice, Remington's all-time top winner, dies at 27

Highland Ice died Wednesday night at the age of 27, according to a press release from Remington Park.

The top Oklahoma-bred sprinter won 16 races from 48 starts for earnings of $474.090. He won 15 races at Remington and ranks as the track’s all-time winningest horse alongside Elegant Exxactsy.

Highland Ice won nine stakes races during his career, including four runnings of the Oklahoma Classics Sprint. He retired in 2001.

Highland Ice spent his later years with the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Program, and in his role as an ambassador made visits to Remington on special occasions like Oklahoma Derby Day.

Highland Ice was a son of Highland Blade and the mare Ice Magic. He was bred by Walter Merrick, owned by Gerald Dixon and trained by Chuck Turco.

“He had a presence about him like no other horse I’ve ever ridden,” regular rider Glen Murphy said. “He knew he was fast.”

Highland Ice was inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2012.