Locked Makes Victorious Return to the Races

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's grade 1 winner Locked made a victorious return to the races in the opener at Aqueduct Racetrack Oct. 19, besting elders in a seven-furlong allowance optional claimer by 7 1/2 lengths. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the Gun Runner sophomore was last seen finishing third in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park. The talented chestnut colt graduated at second asking in September 2023 at Saratoga Race Course before taking the Breeders' Futurity (G1) one month later at Keeneland. On Saturday, Locked was hustled from the gate by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who lost his whip early in the running, and tracked in second position as Gun It marked swift splits of :22.83 and :45.09 over the fast main track. Locked was asked for his best through the turn and was in command with three-sixteenths remaining to score under a drive in a final time of 1:21.02. "It was encouraging. He had been training very well," Pletcher said. "It worked out." Pletcher said the promising effort could propel Locked to the $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) Dec. 7 at Aqueduct with an eye towards the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. "We'd talked about the possibility of the Cigar Mile or Harlan's Holiday as a springboard to the Pegasus," Pletcher said. "The Cigar Mile looks a little more attractive after the way he ran on this track today. We'll talk to Aron (Wellman, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners) and the connections and come up with a plan." A $425,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Locked is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Luna Rosa, a half sister to multiple graded stakes winners Gabby's Golden Gal and Always a Princess.