Welder rules Silver Goblin for fourth straight year

Welder made a splash in the mud Friday night at Remington Park, where he won the $70,000 Silver Goblin Stakes for the fourth consecutive year. He darted home by 5 1/2 lengths over Fly to the Bank.

Welder ($2.20) became the first four-time winner of the Silver Goblin, a 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up bred in Oklahoma. He also won his 11th straight stakes race at Remington; 11 local stakes wins is a track record, it was announced Friday. (The previous mark of 10 was shared by Welder and Okie Ride, the latter a three-time winner of the Silver Goblin.)

Welder has now won 14 races at Remington, which is one off the all-time mark of 15 held by both Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy.

“Welder’s a warrior,” trainer Theresa Luneack said. The millionaire races for Ra-Max Farms.

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Welder was content to sit just off the early pace Friday, as Fly to the Bank took the field through an opening quarter in 22.05 seconds. Welder took over through a half-mile in 44.55 and went on to cover the distance in 1:15.49.

Jockey David Cabrera had his regular seat aboard the son of The Visualiser.

“Welder loves him,” Luneack said. “David gets on his back, starts talking to him, and you can see the horse relax.”

Welder has now won 25 of 37 starts for earnings of $1,179,018. Other feats by the horse include five wins in the TRAO Classic Sprint at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla. The reigning Oklahoma-bred of the Year was bred by Center Hills Farm

Luneack said earlier this week Welder would likely be put away for the remainder of the year after Friday and target a return to racing at Oaklawn.

Also on the Remington card Friday night, Number One Dude remained undefeated in three starts when he powered to a six-length win over Eurochippygolfer in the $75,000 Don McNeill. The race was for 2-year-olds bred in Oklahoma.

Number One Dude ($3.20) was content to stalk the pace, moved to the lead in the stretch, then increased in advantage to the wire . He covered a mile in the mud in 1:38.76.

Ezequiel Lara was aboard for what was his first career stakes win, according to Remington. Number One Dude is a son of American Lion who races for his breeder, Terry Westmeir. The two-time stakes winner is trained by Kari Craddock.

Courtly ($60.20) was placed first in the $75,000 Slide Show after Twilight Curfew was disqualified for interference at the start of the mile race for 2-year-old fillies bred in Oklahoma. Twilight Curfew, who was placed seventh, had finished first by 1 1/2 lengths over Courtly and covered the mile in the mud in 1:40.25. Courtly is a daughter of Pollard’s Vision who races for her breeder, Poindexter Thoroughbreds. Ramon Vazquez was aboard Courtly for trainer Lynn Chleborad.