Santa Anita: Locked, Hit Show ship west for Big 'Cap

Locked, a Grade 1 winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, will make the cross-country trip from Florida to Santa Anita, where he will square off with eight rivals Saturday in the 88th running of the $300,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for older horses going 1 1/4 miles.

Locked most recently rallied to be second in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) at 1 1/8 miles when making his 4-year-old debut Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. Previously, the Gun Runner colt took down the Cigar Mile (G2) in December at Aqueduct.

As a 2-year-old, Locked won the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland before a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. He will be ridden by Eastern-based jockey Jose Ortiz.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, Locked is 7: 4-1-2 with $1,481,650 in earnings.

Also shipping west for the Big 'Cap is Hit Show for trainer Brad Cox. A 5-year-old horse by Candy Ride, Hit Show most recently rallied to win the Louisiana Stakes (G3) going 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds on Jan. 18. It was Hit Show’s fourth graded-stakes win for owner Wathnan Racing and upped his record to 16: 8-1-0 with $1,410,928 in earnings. He will have the services of last year’s Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat.

Among the leading local hopes are the emerging Mirahmadi for trainer Bob Baffert, recent Grade 2 winners Katonah and J B Strikes Back for trainer Doug O’Neill, and 2022 Santa Anita Handicap winner Express Train for trainer John Shirreffs.

Mirahmadi comes in off a sharp front-running, 4 1/2-length allowance win going a mile at Santa Anita on Jan. 4. Since that breakout victory, the 4-year-old Into Mischief colt has fired off three consecutive bullet works, including a six-furlong drill in 1:11.80 on Feb. 17 and another six-furlong work in 1:12.0 on Sunday.

Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables et al, Mirahmadi is 11: 2-4-2 with $203,740 in earnings. He will have Juan Hernandez aboard.

Katonah most recently won the San Pasqual (G2) going 1 1/16 miles by two lengths over runner-up Express Train on Jan. 25 at Santa Anita. It was the second stakes win and first graded victory for the 6-year-old gelding by Klimt. Owned by R3 Racing, Katonah is 17: 5-3-2 with $481,180 in earnings. He will be ridden by Tiago Pereira, who was aboard for both previous stakes wins.

J B Strikes Back was a front-running winner of the Laffit Pincay Jr. (G2) going 1 1/16 miles when making his stakes debut Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old gelding by Goldencents, who was claimed twice last year while still a maiden, is owned by Janie Buss’ Purple Rein Racing. He is 9: 4-0-0 with $191,660 in earnings. Antonio Fresu, who was aboard in the San Pasqual, retains the mount.

Express Train finished two lengths back of Katonah when second in the San Pasqual. The 8-year-old Union Rags horse, who was sidelined from October 2022 to April 2024, is seeking his first win since the 2022 Big 'Cap. Express Train is 24: 7-6-5 with $1,543,800 in earnings for owner C R K Stable. Jockey Hector Berrios will ride.