Set Piece aims to add Grade 1 to his resume
At 0h01, on August 12, 2022 • By CHURCHILL DOWNS
Set Piece (GB) arrived in the United States two years ago to the care of multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox and since then owner Juddmonte has been rewarded with seven victories. The one missing link in Set Piece’s résumé is a Grade I win but Cox hopes that could change in Saturday’s $1 million Arlington Million (Grade I) at Churchill Downs.
Set Piece recorded seven of his 10 lifetime victories in the barn of Cox, most notably winning last year’s $250,000 Wise Dan (GII) by a half-length over Somelikeithotbrown. The son of Dansili (GB) came 1 ½ lengths from Grade I glory in last year’s $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap (GI) at Saratoga but was defeated by the sensational mare Got Stormy.
“He’s been training very well up at Saratoga and we were between running him back in this year’s Fourstardave or going back to Churchill for the Arlington Million,” Cox said. “He’s had a lot of success at Churchill and hopefully on Saturday he can add a Grade I win to his résumé.”
Set Piece arrived to Churchill Downs early Tuesday morning and had a 1 ½-mile gallop Wednesday under exercise rider Fernando Espinoza.
In his last start, Set Piece finished a disappointing fifth in the $175,000 Forbidden Apple (GIII) as the 2-1 betting favorite. Through 15 starts with Cox, Set Piece has gone to post as the favorite 10 times. Set Piece was made the 4-1 third choice by morning line oddsmaker Mike Battaglia in the Arlington Million.
Here’s the complete Arlington Million field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):
- Set Piece (GB) (Geroux, Brad Cox, 4-1)
- Sacred Life (FR) (Manny Franco, Chad Brown, 9-2)
- Field Pass (Rey Gutierrez, Mike Maker, 8-1)
- Smooth Like Strait (John Velazquez, Michael McCarthy, 5-2)
- Megacity (Gerardo Corrales, Mike Maker, 15-1)
- Santin (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh, 3-1)
- Admission Office (Brian Hernandez Jr., Brian Lynch, 10-1)
- Cavalry Charge (David Cohen, Dallas Stewart, 20-1)
- Cellist (Corey Lanerie, Rusty Arnold, 15-1).
Saturday’s first post at Churchill Downs is 12:45 p.m. and the Arlington Million will go as the Race 11 finale at 6:25 p.m.
