Speed Bias Returns to Oaklawn for Tinsel Stakes

Headlining Oaklawn Park's Dec. 16 card is the $200,000 Tinsel Stakes, featuring a field of seven going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt.

Speed Bias , a 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo  , returns to Oaklawn, where he has not run since April and has made six career starts. He is looking for his first win at the distance after four unsuccessful attempts. 

Last time out, he narrowly missed winning the 1 1/8-mile Fayette Stakes (G2) when third to O'Connor , who was a head in front of Il Miracolo , who finished a head in front of Speed Bias. Trained by Ron Moquett, Speed Bias has routinely made it on the board, with a 1-4-2 mark from nine starts this year.

Another challenger to watch is Strong Quality . By Quality Road  , the 4-year-old colt runs well when not in grade 1 company. He is 4-4-2 from 12 non-grade 1 starts, with two fourths being his worst finishes. Even then, in his most recent fourth—the Tapit Stakes on turf at Kentucky Downs—he posted his second-best Equibase Speed Figure (108). He seems to be finding another gear for trainer Mark Casse.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 1—All but one of the race's entrants, Ardanwood , has raced at 1 1/8 miles.
• 2—War Campaign  and Seize The Night  are the only entrants to have won at the distance.
• 42— Number of career starts for Double Crown , which is 24 more than his closest rivals, Ardanwood and Denington , who have 18 each.