Keeneland: Locked takes wide trip to win Breeders’ Futurity

Lexington, Ky.

José Ortiz was conflicted about his winning ride on Locked on Saturday in the 110th running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

At once it validated the faith bettors showed in making Locked the 3-5 post-time favorite. It also put a seventh top-level victory on the breeding résumé of her sire Gun Runner.

But Ortiz said it was as far from a perfect ride as he could imagine.

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“Terrible trip,” he said. “Both turns were very wide. I’m not very happy with my ride. I’m very proud of this horse, but when you’re six wide in both turns, it’s very hard for a 2-year-old going two turns for the first time. For him to pull that off and win this race was pretty amazing.”

The Equibase chart caller said it was five to three wide through the first turn and four wide in the second, but no matter. Talent finally won out in the end.

After breaking from the outside post in the field of eight 2-year-olds, Locked gradually made up ground on previously undefeated The Wine Steward (7-2) in the short homestretch and finished a half-length clear to earn $358,050 first prize and an automatic invitation to the Nov. 3 running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita.

“Any time you can step up and win a Grade 1, that’s key. To do it when you overcome a pretty wide journey, it’s even more impressive,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher, who also looked after Friday’s win by Gun Runner filly Candied in the Alcibiades (G1) over the same fast, main track.

With a 17-25 mph headwind in the homestretch on a 61-degree day that felt very much like autumn, Locked had a winning time of 1:45.06 for the 1 1/16 miles. By comparison on a calmer more summery Friday, Candied covered the same distance 1:44.17, about 4 1/2 lengths faster.

Editor’s note: The winning time for the Breeders’ Futurity was revised the following week to 1:44.62, about 2 1/2 lengths slower than the Alcibiades.

“Today he took a step forward,” Ortiz said of Locked, who broke his maiden last out on his second try, running off by 7 1/4 lengths going a mile Sept. 1 at Saratoga. “Hopefully he’ll take another step forward in the Breeders’ Cup. That’s what it is with these 2-year-olds. They’ve got to take a step forward after every race, so hopefully he does.”

The pace was nothing special. Maiden winners Baytown Chatterbox (89-1) and Just Steel (16-1) set it early with Iroquois victor (G3) West Saratoga (17-1) stalking them. The Wine Steward was fourth midway up the backstretch, and Locked was sixth of the eight runners. They went out in 24.47 seconds for the first quarter-mile and, despite a tailwind on the backstretch, clocked the first half-mile at 48.23 seconds.

With Luis Sáez pushing the button in the second turn, The Wine Steward make his move to within a head of the lead through three-quarters in 1:13.37. Locked was still sixth as he took the long way around.

By the time they got through the mile in 1:38.49, the early speed had faded, and it was down to Locked and The Wine Steward. Locked had put a head in front, and Wine Steward could not keep up in the last 110 yards.

“He was a game horse who ran his race, and he was second best today,” The Wine Steward’s trainer Mike Maker said. “I thought at the top of the lane they just opened the rail for us, but they didn’t.”

“He tried pretty hard,” Sáez said. “He just got beat.”

The Wine Steward’s second-place effort was 3 3/4 lengths better than Generous Tipper (17-1), who closed from last to finish third. They were followed in order by Northern Flame (49-1), West Saratoga, Just Steel, trainer Brad Cox’s debut winner Awesome Road (3-1) and Baytown Chatterbox.

Locked paid $3.52, $2.52 and $2.54; The Wine Steward $3.46 and $3.18; and Generous Tipper $4.70.

Where it was a given that Locked would be headed to the Breeders’ Cup, The Wine Steward was all but committed to join him in the gate for the 1 1/16-mile race in California.

“If you hold my feet to the fire now, it would be a yes,” Maker said of the Vino Rosso colt who brought in a 3-for-3 record that included victories in minor stakes at Ellis Park and Saratoga. “I’ve got to talk (lead owner) Peter Proscia into it.”

Maker said that with a laugh. Pletcher was more characteristically low key in his celebration of his second Grade 1 victory in as many days with a Gun Runner 2-year-old owned by Aron Wellman’s Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

In the case of Candied, who qualified for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with her Alcibiades triumph Friday, it was with a filly whose looked every bit the inexperienced, two-time starter that she was. With Locked on Saturday, it was the wide trip. In both cases, horsepower overcame adversity.

“They’re two exceptionally talented 2-year-olds,” Pletcher said. “A great weekend for Eclipse to come into Keeneland and win two Grade 1 races. It’s hard to do any time, but to win both 2-year-old dirt races is a great tribute to the job that Aron and his team do.”

If only he had a few more Gun Runner 2-year-olds in his barn to follow Locked.

“Nope, nope,” he said with a wry smile. “Haven’t had too many to begin with, but we’re lucky to have him.”