HOT SPRINGS, AR – Seize the Night took advantage of a favorable pace scenario to score a narrow victory in the $175,000 Tinsel Stakes Sunday at Oaklawn.

Under Julien Leparoux, Seize the Night ($18.60) finished a half-length ahead of an unlucky Quality Chic in the 1 1/8-mile race for older horses. It was another 4 ½ lengths farther back to third-place finisher Full Screen, who was followed, in order, by 8-5 favorite Red Route One, Unload, Frosted Departure, Laughing Boy and Horace Mann.

The Tinsel was originally scheduled to be run Dec. 28, but Oaklawn canceled its final nine races that day because of heavy rain, thunder and lightning.

The rescheduled Tinsel featured a runaway leader in multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Frosted Departure, who took the eight-horse field through a :22.50 opening quarter, :45.91 half-mile and 1:10.23 for 6 furlongs.

Frosted Departure, taxed by the demanding fractions, tired late on the second turn and began bearing out, which allowed Seize the Night, in the second flight early, an opportunity to save ground straightening for home.

Seize the Night struck the front in the upper the stretch and held late-running Quality Chic, on the outside, safe in the final 100 yards. Quality Chic, seventh after a half-mile, briefly lost his momentum in the upper stretch after maneuvering to the outside of an exhausted Frosted Departure.

Seize the Night, under 118 pounds, ran the 1 1/8 miles over a muddy, sealed surface in 1:51.62.

The Tinsel marked the first career Oaklawn stakes victory for trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. Seize the Night, a 6-year-old son of Carpe Diem, races for Willis Horton Racing (Kevin Horton). Seize the Night finished fourth in the 2023 Tinsel for trainer Jade Cunningham after beginning his racing career with trainer Dallas Stewart. The gelding was also trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.

Seize the Night’s first career stakes victory, and fifth in 18 starts overall, lifted his earnings to $470,677.

Racing resumes Friday at Oaklawn. First post is 12:30 p.m. (Central).

TINSEL QUOTES

Winning jockey Julien Leparoux (Seize the Night): “We knew it was going to be a good setup. A few speed (horses in there). Tried to break good and get into position. He put me into the race nicely. He relaxed beautifully. I was able to make my move whenever I wanted to. He fought and dug in to the finish. That was good.”

Winning trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. (Seize the Night): “I thought we were in pretty good shape because he was sitting there pretty relaxed.”