How to bet the 2021 Wise Dan Stakes

Set Piece winning an allowance at Churchill Downs - Coady Photography

There are two standout favorites entered to race in Saturday’s $300,000 Wise Dan S. (G2) at Churchill Downs. But that doesn’t mean an upset result is inconceivable.

🚨Derby City 6 Mandatory Payout🚨

$166,086
Saturday
Races 7-12
R7 - War Chant S.-🕓 3:50pm/ET

Here is a look back at the sequence from tonight's Derby City 6 @ChurchillDowns

Hit the Pick-6 & split an additional $5K
Be sure to opt in ⬇️ https://t.co/HGI3pjzEY5 pic.twitter.com/9TFH3YWvV7
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 26, 2021

#1 Set Piece (8-5) and #3 Somelikeithotbrown (2-1) figure to dominate the Wise Dan wagering. Racing 1 1/16 miles on turf suits both just fine. Set Piece was a powerful winner of the Douglas Park S. over this course and distance last month, exploding from off the pace to dominate by four lengths. Meanwhile, Somelikeithotbrown used his tactical speed to score a comfortable victory in the 1 1/16-mile Dinner Party S. (G2) on May 15 at Pimlico.

#8 Set Piece much the best in the Douglas Park Overnight Stakes from @ChurchillDowns!

Here’s the #TwinSpiresReplay ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/EJbJvSHUgl
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) May 29, 2021

Either of the favorites could reach the Wise Dan winner’s circle, but longshot players might want to mix and match Set Piece and Somelikeithotbrown with a couple of higher-priced entrants, namely #5 Hierarchy (15-1) and #7 Ride a Comet (5-1). It’s not a matter of doubting the favorites—it’s more about acknowledging the potential of two talented alternatives.

Hierarchy, for example, gave multiple graded stakes winner Factor This quite a tussle in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup S. at Ellis Park last fall, finishing second by just half a length after rallying strongly from off the pace. Hierarchy recently returned to the fray with a deceptively good allowance win at Churchill Downs, in which he sprinted the final quarter-mile in approximately :23 3/5 over a damp course to score by half a length.

#3 Hierarchy gets up on the @ChurchillDowns lawn to take Race 7 with @coreylanerie aboard for @mjsharp75_joe.

The #TwinSpiresReplay ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KkY5t1yPhV
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 4, 2021

As for Ride a Comet, he’s struggled with consistency this season, most recently coming home last in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) racing 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs. But in between disappointing efforts, Ride a Comet has shown flashes of serious talent. He finished fast to win the Tropical Turf S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park during the winter, and two starts back, he battled to a runner-up effort behind multiple Grade 1 winner Raging Bull in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland. On his best day, Ride a Comet can unleash a formidable turn-of-foot.

So how should we bet the Wise Dan? Let’s play a pair of trifecta tickets, one using Set Piece on top, and the other relegating Set Piece to second place. For the remaining slots, we’ll use Somelikeithotbrown, Hierarchy, and Ride a Comet in equal strength.