Last Samurai Back at Oaklawn for Tinsel Stakes

Grade 2 winner Last Samurai  will attempt to add another victory to his 2022 season in the Dec. 17 $200,000 Tinsel Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn Park.

The 4-year-old son of Malibu Moon who is trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas for Willis Horton Racing, closed out his 2021 season at Oaklawn with a win in the Poinsettia Stakes. He started off this year with an unplaced finish in the Razorback Handicap (G2), but improved in his next start with a runner-up finish in the April 3 Temperance Hill Stakes and then a victory in the April 23 Oaklawn Handicap (G2).

His form slipped slightly following a two-month layoff with a seventh place finish in the July 2 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2). The Kentucky-bred colt has yet to find the winner's circle again, but placed third in both the Aug. 6 R.A. "Cowboy" Jones Overnight Stakes and the Oct. 29 Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2).

Last out, the colt took a second shot in grade 1 company in the Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs where he was fourth behind Proxy , West Will Power , and Fulsome .

Also looking for the victory is Rudy Brisset trainee Hozier , who arrives at the Tinsel from back-to-back wins in an Oct. 3 allowance optional claiming race at Horseshoe Indianapolis and last out in the Nov. 13 River City Handicap at Churchill.

The 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile  gelding is grade 2-placed having finished second in the 2021 Rebel Stakes (G2). His best performance in a black-type stakes since then was a second in the May 3 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes at Churchill. He's won four times and been in the money five times from 18 starts.

Hozier was a $625,000 purchase for SF Bloodstock, Starlight, and Madaket from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment to the 2019 The Saratoga sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He went through an auction again last year and was picked up by Brisset on behalf of Mary and Ted Nixon of Storyteller Racing for $200,000 from the Elite consignment to the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Tom Durant's Run Classic  moves back up to stakes company after a series of allowance and allowance optional claiming races. The 4-year-old son of Runhappy   broke his maiden in February of last year at Fair Ground Race Course & Slots. He went on to an eighth place run in the 2021 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2).

The Bret Calhoun trainee is 2-1-0 from three starts this year. The Tinsel will mark his first run across the Oaklawn surface.

Also entered is trainer Thomas Vance's four-time grade 3 winner Silver Dust  and trainer Ken McPeek's grade 3 winner King Fury . Other multiple stakes winners in the field include Bal Harbour  and Logical Myth , and Joe Sharp trainee Scarlet Fusion  will be making his first stakes start.

Entries: Tinsel S.

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, December 17, 2022, Race 9

• STK
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:14 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Last Samurai (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	125	D. Wayne Lukas	9/2
2	2Hozier (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	125	Rodolphe Brisset	10/1
3	3Run Classic (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	122	W. Bret Calhoun	8/5
4	4Bal Harbour (KY)	Cristian A. Torres	118	Robertino Diodoro	5/2
5	5Silver Dust (KY)	Nik Juarez	118	Thomas D. Vance	20/1
6	6Logical Myth (KY)	Tyler Baze	118	Shawn H. Davis	10/1
7	7King Fury (KY)	David Cabrera	118	Kenneth G. McPeek	6/1
8	8Scarlet Fusion (KY)	Francisco Arrieta	125	Joe Sharp	12/1