By Jill Williams
'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) has always been highly regarded. By one of the nation's hottest sires and sold for $425,000 as a 2022 Keeneland September yearling, he affirmed that regard with a Grade I win at two. Sent to the sidelines for nearly a year before coming back to win the GII Cigar Mile Handicap in his only stakes start at three, he opened his 4-year-old campaign with a second to White Abarrio (Race Day) in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park before shipping across the country and adding blinkers for Saturday's GI Santa Anita Handicap. The race, dripping in history with some of the sport's biggest legends tallying wins, has seldom seen such a tour de force as the exhibition put on by Locked Saturday. His winning margin was the largest in the history of the Big 'Cap, which has been part of racing's calendar since 1935.
Locked, the 3-2 favorite in the Santa Anita Handicap and co-highweight at 124 pounds, didn't break quickly. He was wide all the way as GISP Mirahmadi (Into Mischief) carved out fractions of :23.46 and :47.24. But, while 2022 Big 'Cap winner Express Train (Union Rags) collared Miramadi from the inside entering the far turn just as GSW Midnight Mammoth (Midnight Lute) posed a bid from the outside, Locked unfurled massive strides from midpack, sailing by all three with devastating ease. Rider jose Ortiz eased up on him in the stretch when it was clear the race was well in hand. Locked dominated the Big 'Cap by 8 1/2 lengths, getting the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.71. Express Train held for second, with fellow shipper and last-out GIII Louisiana Stakes winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) up for third.
“He had the blinkers on today,” said winning rider Jose Ortiz. “I talked to [trainer] Todd [Pletcher], and he told me to be aggressive out of the gate and put him as close as I can and the horse will do the rest. The horse has a nice stride, when he gets into the stride he covers a lot of ground. I feel great to win a race like this with a horse like Locked, he is unbelievable. I really loved him since he was a 2-year-old.”
Locked campaigns for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm LLC, who together signed his Keeneland ticket. Eclipse Thoroughbreds also captured Santa Anita's GII DK Horse San Felipe Stakes with Journalism (Curlin), run two races prior to the Big 'Cap.
“It is just a huge honor to be here with a horse like Locked,” said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbreds. “I grew up coming to Santa Anita with my parents and to win a race like the Big 'Cap is what dreams are made of. We have had a huge day.”
Locked now sports five wins from eight starts and has never been off the board. In addition to his Santa Anita Handicap and Cigar Mile wins in the last three months, he won the GI Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland at two and also placed in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile behind eventual champion Fierceness (City of Light). He recorded triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his last two starts and undoubtedly will do the same when the figures are available for the Big 'Cap.
Pedigree Notes:
One of six black-type winners for Gun Runner this year–currently tied with Into Mischief for the highest number among North American-based sires for 2025–Locked is also one of 27 graded winners for his sire. Like Locked's Big 'Cap performance, the young Three Chimneys stallion has himself been a tour de force among the sire ranks and counts 35 black-type winners in his first four crops to race. Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year, has another top-ranked older horse for 2025 that Locked may have to face down the line: champion 3-year-old colt and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone. In a phenomenal nick, both Locked and Sierra Leone are out of Malibu Moon mares, as are additional Gun Runner graded winners Shotgun Hottie and Runninsonofagun. The late Malibu Moon has 98 stakes winners as a broodmare sire.
Locked's winning dam, Luna Rosa, is a half-sister to MGISW Gabby's Golden Gal (Medaglia d'Oro) and to MGSW and GISP Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). The mare has a 2-year-old filly by Tiz the Law, who was a $245,000 RNA at last fall's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale, and a yearling colt by Early Voting. She was bred back to Gun Runner for this term.
#7 LOCKED ($3.40) was spectacular in the $300,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at @santaanitapark! The four-year-old Gun Runner (@Three_Chimneys) colt was piloted by @jose93_ortiz for trainer @PletcherRacing.
The now two-time Grade 1 winner is owned by @EclipseTBP and @WalmacLLC. pic.twitter.com/EbG0KpN8kb
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 2, 2025
Saturday, Santa Anita
SANTA ANITA H. PRESENTED BY YAAMAVA' RESORT & CASINO-GI, $301,500, Santa Anita, 3-1, 4yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:01.71, ft.
1–LOCKED, 124, c, 4, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon
2nd Dam: Gabriellina Giof (GB), by Ashkalani (Ire)
3rd Dam: Paola Quatraro (Ire), by Cure the Blues
($425,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm LLC; B-Rosa Colasanti (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-2, $1,661,650. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Express Train, 120, h, 8, Union Rags–I'm a Flake, by Mineshaft. ($500,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $60,000.
3–Hit Show, 124, h, 5, Candy Ride (Arg)–Actress, by Tapit. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Wathnan Racing; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $36,000.
Margins: 8HF, 3 3/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.70, 12.00, 2.90.
Also Ran: Midnight Mammoth, J B Strikes Back, Katonah, New King, Mirahmadi. Scratched: Tarantino.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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