Oaklawn: War Campaign gets 1st stakes victory in Tinsel

War Campaign secured his first career stakes victory in the $200,000 Tinsel Stakes before an estimated crowd of 8,750 Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn.

War Campaign, under a ground-saving ride from Emmanuel Esquivel, finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Speed Bias in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, run over a muddy, sealed surface. Strong Quality, the 7-5 favorite, finished another length farther back in third. Seize the Night, Denington and Double Crown completed the order of finish. Ardanwood was scratched.

Owned by Jerry Namy, War Campaign paid $14.60 and raised his career earnings to $556,664 following his fourth victory from 16 starts. War Campaign, a 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, was also bred by Namy.

Previously 0-for-4 in stakes races, War Campaign was exiting a third-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile allowance Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. His stakes resume included a runner-up finish behind 2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile participant Zozos in the one-mile $275,000 Hanshin in July at Ellis Park.

“Mr. Namy and I, we had this race circled back in November,” winning trainer Phil Sims said via phone. “That was kind of our plan to bring him there. He’s been stakes-placed three or four times, I think, but never had been able to win one. It’s good to get one out of the way. Horse will probably get a little better with age.”

War Campaign was a forward factor from the start in the Tinsel, settling in third through opening fractions of 23.27, 47.21 and 1:11.54 for six furlongs. He assumed command in mid-stretch under Esquivel, who recorded a riding triple Friday at Oaklawn.

“Everything went perfect,” Esquivel said. “He broke running. After that, I didn’t let him fall back too much. He was fresh. I was loaded the whole way around. Phil (Sims) did a great with him. I just hang on and try not to get in trouble.”