Grade 1 winner Locked , who entered 2024 as one of the leading prospects for the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, is off the Derby trail with a minor ligament injury in his left knee, according to co-owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
Winner of last fall’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park, Locked twice missed scheduled starts in Derby preps this year. Initially pointed toward the Feb. 10 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, he had his workout schedule curtailed this winter. The chestnut 3-year-old later resumed breezing in mid-February at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida in preparation for the March 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
But Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher scratched him on race day of the Fountain of Youth, saying he “wasn’t pleased” with a routine gallop that morning.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, who owns Locked with Walmac Farm, posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that state-of-the-art technology identified the injury. Eclipse credited Pletcher for catching the issue early. The colt will receive time off.
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Thanks to state of the art technology, we’ve identified a minor ligament injury in Locked’s left knee. Sadly, the Derby Dream is over, but thankfully @PletcherRacing caught the issue early and Locked will come back strong. The horse always comes first! #BelieveBig pic.twitter.com/o0ArPyPEd6
— Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (@EclipseTBP) March 8, 2024
In addition to his racing potential, Locked is valuable as an eventual stallion, being a grade 1 winner at age 2 and a son of elite sire Gun Runner . Locked is 2-0-2 in four starts with earnings of $608,400.
Locked closed at 16-1 odds in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager that concluded Feb. 18.
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