Oklahoma star Welder, a 27-time winner, arrives at Old Friends
Welder, who won 27 times during his racing career, including a record 16 victories at Remington Park, arrived Monday morning at Old Friends in Georgetown, Ky. The speedy gray was retired from racing during the fall of 2021.
Owned by Ra-Max Farms of Claremore, Okla., and trained by Teri Luneack, Welder was accepted to live at Old Friends because his farm was ceasing operations. Clayton Rash, owner of Ra-Max Farms, died in January 2022.
“Welder arrived at 10 a.m., nice, cool and collected,” said Barbara Fossum, manager at Old Friends. “He looks fabulous and is remarkably calm.”
Welder, 10, now joins the 265 horses under the care of Old Friends. The operation specializes in a retirement home for mostly Thoroughbreds after their careers in racing have concluded. The Oklahoma-bred millionaire was well-known to the founder and president of Old Friends, Michael Blowen.
“Michael is a horseplayer and has known of Welder for a while,” Fossum said. “I mean, 27 career wins. Michael keeps track of specific horses that might be a fit at Old Friends, and Welder is one of them. He truly admires horses like Welder, a hard knocker and a horse that is a superstar in his region.”
Among the many nationally known horses who also call Old Friends home are Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Silver Charm and Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, both 29. The Triple Crown was denied to Silver Charm in 1997 when Touch Gold won the Belmont.
Welder will be in quarantine for two weeks and then will be introduced to the other residents at Old Friends.
Welder had a 44: 27-5-7 line in a career that spanned from 2015 to 2021. He broke his maiden at Remington Park in his second lifetime attempt on Nov. 27, 2015, and won his final career race, also at Remington Park, on Aug. 27, 2021.
Welder, by The Visualiser from the Tiznow mare Dance Softly, finished his career with total earnings of $1,263,359. The sprinter will be inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Remington Park on Sept. 23.