Welder retires as Remington’s all-time winningest horse
Welder is already slacking off in retirement.
The millionaire and three-time Oklahoma-bred of the year was enjoying a late morning nap Saturday at his farm base near Tulsa. One day earlier, Welder closed out his career with a third-place finish in the $130,000 Oklahoma Classics Sprint at Remington Park.
It was decided ahead of time that the 8-year-old would be retired following the start. He will be let down from racing, and eventually become a stable pony for his owner, Ra-Max Farms, and his trainer, Theresa Luneack.
Luneack was pleased with how Welder came back from the Sprint.
“He’s great,” she said Saturday. “In fact, I was just down there by his stall. He was sleeping. He’s happy and content.”
Welder retires as Remington’s all-time winningest horse with 16 victories in Oklahoma City. He also was 10 for 11 at Will Rogers, near Tulsa. Overall, the horse won 27 of 44 starts, with 18 of his victories coming in stakes. One of those popular wins came in the $150,000 David M. Vance over open foes in 2019. Welder ran six furlongs in 1:08.13.
“I think the David Vance, when he set the track record, that was a monumental accomplishment for him and for us,” Luneack said. “That’s probably my favorite race that he ever ran.”
Luneack said other highlights included when Welder become a millionaire. It happened in April 2020, when the horse won the TRAO Classic Sprint for the fifth time at Will Rogers. She said from there, it was special to see Welder set the all-time record for wins at Remington in an allowance Aug. 27.
Luneack believes Welder will be a good fit as a stable pony.
“He’s a horse that just absolutely loves to go the racetrack,” she said. “He’ll stand there all day with the outrider. He loves to watch, and he loves to be ponied himself. I think he’ll be happy ponying other horses and being involved.”
Welder earned $1,265,031 on the track, and will now be paid in peppermints.
“He’s still going to work for a living – just a little lower key,” Luneack said.