Locked Fires Bullet for Suburban

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) fired a four-furlong bullet in :48.25 (1/21) over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track Thursday morning.

The GII Suburban S. going 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga July 4 will be next for this year's runaway GI Santa Anita Handicap winner. Locked was last seen finishing fourth behind his Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), who set a new track record for 1 1/16 miles in the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks day.

“After the Alysheba, we wanted to get him up to Saratoga to freshen him for the second half of the season and he's responded very favorably,” said Aron Wellman, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “Our ownership group, which includes Gainesway Farm, who will stand Locked when his racing career concludes, decided we wanted to focus on races at nine furlongs and beyond.”

Locked's stacked resume also includes: wins in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland and the GII Cigar Mile H. at Aqueduct, a runner-up finish in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“If all goes as we anticipate in the Suburban, hopefully we'll be in position to consider races like the (GI) Whitney (at Saratoga Aug. 2) or another trip out west for the (GI) Pacific Classic (at Del Mar Aug. 30),” Wellman said. “For now, our main focus is on posturing Locked for a performance in the Suburban capable of propelling him back into Grade I company. He's an elite colt and we believe he'll be a candidate for the (GI) Breeders' Cup Classic in November.”