Juddmonte's 7-year-old homebred Set Piece was victorious two years ago in the $400,000 Wise Dan Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and will attempt for a second score in Saturday's 34th edition of the 1 1/16-mile turf contest at Ellis Park.
The Wise Dan Stakes was carded as Race 9 of 11 with a post time of 3:55 p.m. (CT). Saturday's stellar Stephen Foster Day program features six stakes contests headlined by the $1 million Stephen Foster (G1) as Race 10. The other stakes events on the program are the $400,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), the $225,000 American Derby (Listed), the $225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed) and the $225,000 Tepin.
Set Piece, trained by Brad Cox, arrived stateside in 2020 and has since been victorious in seven stakes contests including the 2021 Wise Dan. Set Piece's 2023 campaign began on May 4 at Churchill Downs when he finished third in the Opening Verse (Listed). One month later he returned in the $225,000 Arlington Stakes (G3) at the Louisville oval where he rallied from six lengths off the pace to beat Get Smokin by one length. Jockey Florent Geroux, who has ridden Set Piece in 14 of his 27 lifetime starts, will have the return call in the Wise Dan and break from post No. 8.
Get Smokin will attempt to avenge his Arlington defeat in the Wise Dan. Owned by Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, T-N-T Equine Holdings and Saratoga Seven Racing Partners, Six-year-old Get Smokin is a multiple graded stakes winner for trainer Mark Casse. Among the accolades on Get Smokin's resume includes victories in the Hill Prince (G2) and Tampa Bay Stakes (G3). Get Smokin will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. from post 4.
The complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
1. Harlan Estate (Declan Cannon, Whit Beckman)
2. Tut's Revenge (Francisco Arrieta, Shea Stuart)
3. Camp Hope (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
4. Get Smokin (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mark Casse)
5. Play Action Pass (Tyler Gaffaione, Robert Medina)
6. Kittansett (Cristian Torres, Paulo Lobo)
7. Cowboy Justice (GB) (James Graham, Conor Murphy)
8. Set Piece (GB) (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox)
9. Stitched (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Gregory Foley)
10. Hozier (Julien Leparoux, Rodolphe Brisset)
The post Veteran Set Piece Takes Aim On Second Wise Dan Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
