Breeders’ Cup Classic pre-entrant Locked is out, retired

Multiple Grade 1 winner Locked will not run in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

His retirement was announced Friday morning in a news release from Gainesway Farm, where it had previously been announced that he would stand upon retirement. He had been expected to retire to Gainesway after the Breeders' Cup Classic.

According to a report from David Grening of Daily Racing Form, Locked's trainer Todd Pletcher was not impressed with Locked's training toward the Breeders' Cup Classic and he had "a little filling in an ankle". Gainesway described the reason as "an untimely illness".

A son of leading sire Gun Runner, Locked is the second foal from Luna Rosa, a winning daughter of Malibu Moon. She is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Gabby's Golden Gal and multiple Grade 2 winner Always A Princess.

Brilliant from the start for trainer Todd Pletcher, Locked broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths during September of his 2-year-old year at Saratoga. He followed that victory with a win in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland at 2 years of age. Locked completed his 2-year-old campaign with a fast-closing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. 

After being out for most of 2024 with a knee injury, Locked returned in October. He won a seven-furlong allowance during the Belmont at Aqueduct meet in a sharp time of 1.21.02. He came back to score just a few weeks later in the Cigar Mile (G2), defeating older horses including Grade 1 winners Mullikin and Book ‘em Danno. 

Locked began his 4-year-old season with a second-place finish behind White Abarrio. In his next start he won the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) by 8 1/2 lengths, a record margin. After defeats in the Alysheba (G2) and the Suburban (G2), Locked won the race that would end up being his final start. In the Woodward (G2), Sept. 27 at Belmont at Aqueduct, Locked chased the loose-on-the-lead Phileas Fogg and reeled him in to win by three quarters of a length.

"From the moment we put a saddle on his back at Ocala Stud, Locked always presented himself as a superior talent," Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners president Aron Wellman said.  "He was a stellar racehorse and with his natural athleticism, toughness, pedigree and looks, we are enthusiastic about his prospects of becoming a marquee stallion at Gainesway as an heir apparent to his sire, Gun Runner."

“Locked is an exciting stallion prospect of the highest caliber” Antony Beck of Gainesway said. “In his career, he demonstrated true brilliance and versatility from distances ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. I couldn’t be more excited about Locked’s arrival at Gainesway and I look forward to breeding a large number of our best mares to him.”

Raced by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, Locked retires with a 11: 6-1-3 record and earnings of $1,911,825.