US racing tips: Shane Ketteridge with two tips from Pimlico and Del Mar

Set Piece
22.08 Pimlico
2pt win

Park Avenue
01.18 Del Mar
1pt win

Brad Cox has never won the Grade 3 Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup Stakes at Pimlico, but he has a great chance to do so in this year’s race with ex-Hugo Palmer trained Set Piece.

The six-year-old son of Dansili has been doing very well since he was shipped to the states in 2020, winning six of his 16 starts and on his day he is top class.

Five of those wins have been in stakes company and he’s already a double Grade 2 winner with one of those being over an extended mile trip at this course in the Dinner Party Stakes in May.

That course experience will hold him in good stead for this mile on the turf and when he comes with his trademark late burst there are few milers in the States who can live with him.

He will be much better suited to dropping back to a mile, having finished fourth in the 1m1f Arlington Million last time out, so expect to see him weaving through the field as they turn in under Sheldon Russell.

Whatever trainer John Sadler sends out has to be feared as his stable is thriving after superstar Flightline’s demolition job in last week's Pacific Classic Stakes and in the $250,000 Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar.

He saddles a nice filly in Park Avenue, who is improving and has enough ability to win at this level. She’s Grade 3 placed and recorded her highest speed figure to date when taking the Ouija Board Distaff Stakes at Lone Star Park on her penultimate start in May.

Her most recent outing was a seventh placed effort in a Grade 2 here last month, but that was her first run for nearly three months, so she will come on a good amount from that and it would be no surprise should she make all of the running from stall four.

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