He was sired by Alzao, a son of Lyphard who never won above Group Three level, but became a successful breeding stallion,[2] his progeny including Maraahel (Hardwicke Stakes), Shahtoush and Alborada.
[5] Second Set was moved up sharply in class to contest the Group One St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on 18 June and started the 4/1 third favourite behind Marju and the French-trained Acteur Francais.
The other runners included Priolo, Star of Gdansk (third in The Derby), Green Line Express (runner-up in the race for the last two years) and Sikeston (a multiple Group One winner in Italy).
After turning into the straight in fourth place, Second Set took the lead two furlongs from the finish and stayed on well to win by one and a half lengths and a short head from Shadayid and Priolo.
[6] In September, Second Set started 3/1 favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, but finished fourth of the nine runners behind Selkirk, Kooyonga and Shadayid.
On his final appearance of the season, the colt was sent to Churchill Downs to contest the Breeders' Cup Mile on 2 November, but made no impact, finishing twelfth of the fourteen runners behind Opening Verse.