Welder takes Highland Ice Stakes as 1-5 favorite

Welder improved his Will Rogers Downs record to eight-for-nine on Tuesday when he won the Oklahoma track’s $50,000 Highland Ice Stakes by two lengths over Midwest Justice. It was another eight and a quarter lengths back in third to Wings Locked Up.The Highland Ice was a six-furlong race for 4-year-olds and up.

Welder ($2.40) pushed Wings Locked Up through fractions of 22.41 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.39 for the half-mile before taking control in the stretch. He went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:09.81.

David Cabrera was aboard Welder, his first mount since March 14. Cabrera has been attending to a family emergency in Mexico.

Theresa Luneack trains Welder for Ra-Max Farms. The horse has now won at least one stakes at Will Rogers every year since he made his first appearance at the track in 2016. Overall, the son of The Visualiser has won 16 of 25 starts and earned $680,151.

Welder was the 1-5 favorite following a third-place finish to Grade 1 winner Whitmore in the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes last month at Oaklawn. Welder is based at a training center near Will Rogers.