Oaklawn: Rattle N Roll captures the Tinsel in Oaklawn debut

It looked like a one-horse race on paper. It played out that way on the track.

Millionaire Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll made a successful Oaklawn debut Saturday, scoring a comfortable two-length victory in the $150,000 Tinsel Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles.

Under confident handling from Hall of Fame jockey Joel Rosario, Rattle N Roll ($3.40) settled last of five early, circled horses on the outside turning for home, struck the front in midstretch and coasted to his 10th career stakes victory. The 1 1/8-mile Tinsel marked Rattle N Roll's first start in a non-graded stakes race since winning the St. Louis Derby in August 2022 at Fairmount Park.

Rattle N Roll, the 3-5 favorite, completed 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:49.76 and carried equal top weight of 125 pounds.

Willy D's, the Tinsel pacesetter, held second, three lengths ahead of Mackman. Woodcourt and Dimatic completed the order of finish. Money Supply and Runaway Again were scratched.

A Grade 1 winner at 2 for trainer Kenny McPeek, Rattle N Roll has earned $3,638,941 off a 30: 11-3-3 record. The 6-year-old son of Connect races for Sharaf Mohamad Alhariri and Mike Mackin's Lucky Seven Stable. Rattle N Roll won for the first time since the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G3) in January in Saudi Arabia.

Rattle N Roll's career resume includes seven graded victories and three starts earlier this year in the Middle East. He also finished fifth in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) and eighth in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1).

Rattle N Roll exited a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Clark Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/8-mile race he won in 2024. He has won four stakes at 1 1/8 miles in the United States.

McPeek said next-race plans remain pending for Rattle N Roll, but he will be considered for another trip to the Middle East and local stakes races leading up to the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 18.