Locked, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, returned to the races with a sparkling effort Oct. 19 at Belmont at the Big A.
The 3-year-old son of Gun Runner won a seven-furlong allowance race by 7 ½-lengths while posting a time of 1:21.02, just .02 seconds off the track record set in 1999 by champion Artax.
Locked, trained by Todd Pletcher, had been away from the races since finishing third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). He broke well and tracked Gun It through a swift half-mile in :45.09. Locked ranged up along side Gun It just before turning for home, then drew off in style to win going away, with Gun It completing the exacta.
“There has never been any question as to the enormity of this colt’s talent and to see him come back off a 50-week layoff and come within a 1/5 of a second off a long-time track record set by a blazing horse in Artax validates that notion,” Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners President & Founder Aron Wellman said. “We know the further, the better, but few horses possess the type of speed and stamina to do what he’s done in his career to date. Hopefully, he can stay on the straight and narrow and there are more important trophies to add to his mantle.”
Wellman indicated that Locked could make his next start in the Dec. 7 Cigar Mile (G2).
Locked is now 3-0-2 in five starts and has earned $660,650. The chestnut colt was bred in Kentucky by Rosa Colasanti.
