Set Piece Goes for Unusual Wise Dan Repeat

Only one horse has won the Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) multiple times and that was the race's namesake, who ran away with what was a one-mile handicap in 2011 and 2013 when it was known as the Firecracker. In this year's July 1 renewal, at 1 1/16 miles, millionaire Set Piece  could become a Wise Dan repeat winner, having won it the last time it was contested in 2021.

The 2022 Wise Dan was canceled due to poor turf conditions at Churchill Downs; this one was shifted to Ellis Park when the balance of the Churchill Downs meet was moved as a safety precaution. 

Trainer Brad Cox has won three of the last four runnings of the race, with Mr. Misunderstood  (2018) and Factor This  (2020) preceding Set Piece. 

A 7-year-old Juddmonte homebred by Dansili , Set Piece has been around in the two years since his Wise Dan triumph, having tested top middle-distance turf horses on both coasts and in Canada. While grade 1 glory has proved elusive, 12 wins, including four graded stakes, and $1,068,683 in earnings from 27 starts, while almost always closing from far back, have made him a barn favorite. This year Set Piece was third behind grade 1 winner Annapolis  in the $300,000 Opening Verse at Churchill Downs, despite traffic problems, then won the June 3 Arlington Stakes (G3T).

"He's one of my favorite horses I've ridden," regular rider Florent Geroux said. "He has no early speed so it's always tough in bigger fields because you can't go super wide turning for home but if you stay too far on the inside you end up in trouble."

Geroux will be hoping for an honest pace. Get Smokin  led the Arlington Stakes into the stretch before being collared by Set Piece. A 6-year-old Get Stormy  gelding, Get Smokin has a knack for getting to the lead without going too fast early. The Mark Casse trainee was a graded stakes winner at 3 and 4 for Tom Bush, who also trained his sire.

The Arlington third-place finisher, Harlan Estate , also returns for the Wise Dan. The 5-year-old Kantharos   gelding hopped at the start and still rallied for third as the 27-1 longest shot on the board. Former Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher assistant Whit Beckman seeks his first graded stakes win with Harlan Estate. 

Kenny McPeek will saddle Camp Hope  (Summer Front  ), one race before he starts two horses in the featured Stephen Foster Stakes (G1). McPeek gave Camp Hope a try in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) off only a debut win and continues to show faith in the 5-year-old's ability. Last time out Camp Hope won an allowance optional claimer that carried a nearly $150,000 purse in which he was the only runner in for the $175,000 claiming price.

The rest of the 10-horse field is comprised of Tut's Revenge , a Canterbury Park stakes winner last year; Play Action Pass , winner of the $400,000 Gun Runner Stakes at Kentucky Downs last year but lacking interest in three starts this season; Kittanset, coming off a rich allowance optional claiming win at Churchill; Cowboy Justice , making his third start in the U.S.; Stitched , a multiple listed stakes winner at a mile on turf; and Hozier , who earned more than a half-million on dirt before being switched to turf last summer.