Set Piece, Atone drop out of Grade 1 company for Dinner Party
Set Piece and Atone will both get a bit of class relief when they head a field of seven entered in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico.
Traditionally carded as the race immediately preceding the Preakness, this year the Dinner Party, at 1 1/16 miles on turf, goes as race 8, kicking off the second half of the 14-race Preakness card, which gets underway at 10:30 a.m.
Set Piece, trained by Brad Cox for Juddmonte, has competed in three consecutive Grade 1 stakes. He finished second in last summer’s Fourstardave at Saratoga, and had a troubled trip when seventh in the Woodbine Mile to close out his 5-year-old season.
In his 2022 debut, Set Piece finished seventh, two lengths behind winner Shirl’s Speight in the Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland on April 15.
“He ended up a little wide. He was just a little aggressive going up the backside and didn’t relax,” Cox said. “It was a combination of two things: he didn’t have anything in front of him to get him covered up and, two, he was just a little fresh off the layoff. I’m hopeful he won’t be as close to the pace, although I don’t think there’s a lot of pace in here. But he needs to break and get covered up and hopefully get a good clean run down the lane.”
Prior to his three Grade 1 tries, Set Piece strung together three consecutive victories, including in the Grade 2 Wise Dan last June at Churchill Downs.
Florent Geroux rides Set Piece from post 3.
Atone has made his last two starts in Grade 1 company, finishing a close fourth in both the Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park and Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland. Trainer Mike Maker, who won this race last year with Somelikeithotbrown, added blinkers to Atone’s equipment for his last race where he was beaten just one length.
“We put the blinkers on because a couple of the jockeys said when they went to hit him or something that he’d lose focus and swap his leads back and forth,” Maker told the Pimlico notes team. “I think he was more worried about the stick than anything. I thought he ran his race [last time] and did his job.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. has picked up the mount on Atone from post 6.
English Bee, who won the James W. Murphy at Pimlico at 3, finished seventh in this race last year. He was attempting a rail rally under Joel Rosario when things tightened up in midstretch.
“He was a little unlucky in this race last year,” trainer Graham Motion said. “He got steadied along the rail and it definitely cost him a placing.”
Motion said English Bee is better on firm ground and he’s hoping the forecasted hot temperatures help firm up the Pimlico turf.
“He just needs a good trip and maybe somebody not to run their race to win one of these nice races,” Motion said.
Luis Saez rides from post 5.
Tango Tango Tango, who won the American Derby last year at Arlington, has returned from a layoff to win two allowance races this year. He won a 7 1/2-furlong race at Gulfstream on March 27 and then a 1 1/4-mile race at Belmont Park on May 1.
:: Get Preakness Betting Strategies by for exclusive wagering insight, contender analysis, and more
In addition to being versatile in terms of distance, Tango Tango Tango appears versatile with his running style, meaning he could be on the lead from the rail under Tyler Gaffalione.
“If there’s no pace in the race he’ll be on the lead. He’s very versatile and he’s very forward in his training,” trainer Jack Sisterson said. “I noticed when looking at the race there wasn’t much speed, and drawing the rail I suppose you have to go forward.”
Novo Sol, a Group 1 winner in Brazil, won a first-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles over Gulfstream’s synthetic in January before finishing third behind Abaan in the Grade 2 Pan American going 1 1/2 miles over turf on April 2.
Junior Alvarado rides for Saffie Joseph Jr. from post 2.
Beacon Hill was beaten a nose in a Keeneland allowance in his first start of the year. He is trained by Michael Matz.
Nathan Detroit was entered in a second-level allowance at Pimlico on Friday, but trainer Norm Cash said he will run in this spot instead.
Cash said he liked the way Nathan Detroit circled the field and won an allowance at Laurel Park on April 29.