Set Piece (GB)

Set Piece was a three-time winner at Churchill Downs at the 2021 spring meet. The Juddmonte Farms homebred won the Opening Verse Stakes on April 29  by 1 1/4 lengths, then took the Douglas Park Overnight Stakes by four lengths on May 29.

Off those big wins on the Churchill turf course, Set Piece was the 1.70-1 favorite in the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes on June 26. He came from far out of it to rally up the inside and nail front-running Somelikeithotbrown in the last few jumps. That marked the first graded stakes in Set Piece's career. 

Set Piece's winning streak was snapped in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 14. Despite a strong rally in the final eighth, he finished second behind Got Stormy. In his final start of 2021, the Dansili gelding finished seventh in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile as the 1.65-1 favorite.

Trainer Brad Cox brought Set Piece back for his 6-year-old season in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland on April 15. He moved into contention in the far turn but tired to finish seventh of eight. Set Piece rebounded in his second start of the year, however, rallying from near the back of the pack to win the Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths on the May 21 Preakness Stakes undercard at Pimlico.

After unplaced finishes in the Forbidden Apple Stakes and Arlington Million Stakes, Set Piece regained his winning form by outfinishing Pao Alto to win the Grade 3 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup Stakes Sept. 10 at Pimlico.

Set Piece was born in Great Britain and made the first six starts of his career in Europe before moving to the U.S. in summer 2020. He is from the family of English Oaks winner Reams of Verse, Group 1 winner Elmaamul, and several other high-class European runners.