Locked

All five of the 'Future Stars Friday' winners at Santa Anita appeared to emerge from the efforts unscathed, with connections looking forward to their Classics campaigns in 2024. The very domination of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) will likely have put the colt at the head of the class for champion 2-year-old honors, and the Repole Stable homebred looked good Saturday morning. "We were extremely happy with the way Fierceness ran," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "The race kind of unfolded the...

ARCADIA, CA - The comparisons to the brilliant Uncle Mo began for 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) following a spectacular, double-digit debut win a day before the GI Travers S. at Saratoga-Uncle Mo's, of course, took place on the undercard--but came to an abrupt halt following a dismal seventh at .55 cents on the dollar in a sloppy renewal of the GI Champagne S. They can safely return now. Just like Uncle Mo did for Repole Stable and Todd Pletcher at third asking beneath John Velazquez at the...

Six months in advance of the 150th GI Kentucky Derby, the pari-mutuel field of "All Other Colts and Geldings" closed as the odds-on 4-5 favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Locked (Gun Runner) was the 14-1 second choice, Churchill Downs said in a release late Thursday after betting closed. Other horses who attracted mild interest included Dornoch (Good Magic) (19-1), a full brother to this year's Kentucky Derby winner Mage, and GI Champagne S. winner Timberlake (Into Mischief) (20-1). Total...

ARCADIA, CA - The imposing Bill Mott-trained duo of Just F Y I (Justify) (Juvenile Fillies) and champion Elite Power (Curlin) (Sprint) immediately caught the eye as the curtain was lifted at Santa Anita with a spectacular sunrise beneath the San Gabriel mountains on Breeders' Cup eve. Japanese superstar Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Mile, began her marathon training session, while the horse to catch in the Dirt equivalent 'Rising Star' Zozos (Munnings) left the pony raring to go. John Gosden, represented by potential race...

ARCADIA, CA -- After firing a five-furlong warning shot at Santa Anita Monday morning, Zedan Racing's 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) was installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite while drawing post 12 at the Rood & Riddle Post-Position Draw for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The Bob Baffert-trained GI Pacific Classic hero and $2.3-million OBS April breezer will face 12 rivals in the $6-million centerpiece, including fellow sophomore and the rail-drawn GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. hero Arcangelo (Arrogate), GI Whitney S. winner White Abarrio (Race...

Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is set for its three-day run Tuesday-Thursday and features 40 betting interests, including recent Grade I winners Locked (Gun Runner) and Timberlake (Into Mischief). Wagering will begin Tuesday at noon and close Thursday at 6 p.m. ET in advance of the Breeders' Cup World Championships' Future Starts Friday. The 15-1 individual favorite is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's GI Breeders' Futurity winner Locked. Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, Locked is among the top interests in Friday's GI Breeders'...

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a total of 12 horses, all of whom are pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup races, for half-mile works at Keeneland Friday morning in advance of their Saturday departure to Santa Anita. GII Pilgrim S. winner Agate Road (Quality Road) (Juvenile Turf) worked in company with Haul (Army Mule) in :49 flat (32/63). GI Darley Alcibiades winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (NetJets Juvenile Filles) went in company with GII Chandelier runner-up Scalable (Speightstown) (Juvenile Fillies) in :49.20 (37/63). About Candied, Pletcher said, "She worked very...

Led by MGISW Arcangelo (Arrogate), GISW Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), and MG1SW Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), 205 horses, including 59 from overseas, and four 2022 champions who return to defend their titles, have been pre-entered for the 40th Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park. The Breeders' Cup will be televised live domestically on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and FanDuel TV. Additionally, the NBC World Feed will be sent to more than 150 countries around the globe. Click here to view all of the 2023 Breeders'...

Trainer Todd Pletcher breezed a remarkable 12 of his intended Breeders' Cup starters at Keeneland on Thursday morning over the main track.  Heading the dozen was GI Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Bright Future (Curlin), who arrived in Kentucky this week from Saratoga. He worked five furlongs in 1:01.40. Also working five furlongs for a possible Breeders' Cup start was Charge It (Tapit), who covered the distance in 1:01.20.  "We originally were going to work all of our Saturday (Nov. 4) horses tomorrow but with rain in the forecast for tomorrow,...

Gun Runner has joined Into Mischief and Curlin on top of the roster of 2024 stallions with a $250,000 fee, Three Chimneys announced Friday morning. He is the first sire in history to have sired nine individual millionaires with just two full crops. He currently ranks second on the TDN's General Sire list, behind only Into Mischief, with over $14 million in progeny earnings. Counted among his 13 stakes winners and 31 stakes performers in 2023 are Grade I winners Gunite and 'TDN Rising Stars' Echo Zulu and Locked, the...

  It was a huge week for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and its President and Founder Aron Wellman. Over a 24-hour period, Eclipse swept the two Grade I stakes races run during Keeneland's Fall Stars Weekend. It began with a win by Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Alcibiades S. on Friday. Twenty-four hours later, 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) came through with a determined win in the GI Breeders' Futurity. Both will now head to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup. Eclipse couldn't quite pull off the trifecta...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' President and Founder Aron Wellman joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss their pair of impressive juvenile winners at Keeneland this weekend, Candied and Locked, as well as the future for champion Nest.