First US stakes success for Set Piece

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 1st January 2020:

European transplant Set Piece (Dansili) came from off the pace to remain undefeated in five starts on a synthetic in Thursday's Prairie Bayou Stakes at Fair Grounds.

A three-time winner in Europe, the Juddmonte homebred kicked off his U.S. campaign with Brad Cox, winning in a grassy one-mile Churchill optional claimer last June. Off the board in his next two turf starts, he came from well off the pace to gain a head decision against optional claiming company on the Turfway main December 3rd.

Sent off the lukewarm favourite in this step up in class, he assumed his customary place at the back through initial splits of :24.22 and :48.14. Closing
with purpose on the outside leaving the backstretch, the gelding was fanned out six wide turning for home, took over from Signalman with ease and rolled home an easy winner.

His dam Portodora is a granddaughter Modena (Roberto), the dam of English champion juvenile filly Reams of Verse (Nureyev) and Group 1 winner Elmaamul (Diesis). Having already produced French listed winner Alocasia (Kingman), the 15-year-old mare foaled a Frankel colt in 2018 and a Nathaniel filly in 2020.