Mister Omaha asserted his class Tuesday with a four-length win over Lucky Tapiture in the $50,000 Welder Stakes at Will Rogers Downs. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to John.
The Welder was a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds bred in Oklahoma. It scratched down from a field of five to four with the defection of Tzedakah.
Mister Omaha ($2.20) broke well as John moved to the lead after the start and proceeded to set the pace. Mister Omaha drew even with that one soon afterward, took the lead at the quarter pole, and increased his advantage to the wire while covering six furlongs on a fast track in 1:12.46. No fractional times were posted.
Luis Quinonez was aboard the winner for trainer Joe Offolter.
Mister Omaha came into the Welder off a seventh-place finish in the $300,000 Springboard Mile in December at Remington Park. With his Tuesday success he became the third horse to come out of the Springboard and win a stakes in his next start, behind Coal Battle, who came back and took the Smarty Jones, and Speed King, who returned to win the Southwest.
Mister Omaha had won a pair of Remington stakes leading into the Springboard, having accounted for the Oklahoma Classics Night Juvenile in October and the Don McNeill at a mile in November.
Mister Omaha is a son of Omaha Beach who races for his breeder, Bryan Hawk. He is now 4 for 6 with earnings of $132,409.
The Welder honored the $1.2 million earner who was a multiple horse of the meet at his home track of Will Rogers. The three-time Oklahoma-bred of the Year was trained by Theresa Luneack, who made the trophy presentation Tuesday. It was announced Luneack is now a member of the racing office team at Will Rogers.
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