Pletcher pointing Locked to Woodward at Aqueduct
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With Mindframe and Antiquarian running in Sunday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Fierceness starting in Saturday’s Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, Pletcher has Locked aiming for the Grade 2, $300,000 Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct on Sept. 27.
Pletcher pointed out that last fall, when returning from a length layoff, Locked won an allowance race and the Grade 2 Cigar Mile over Aqueduct’s main track.
Locked began this year with a solid second to White Abarrio in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational followed by a monster 8 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita on March 1. In two subsequent starts, Locked finished fourth behind Fierceness in the Grade 2 Alysheba and third in the Suburban.
Locked has been training regularly at Saratoga, including a four-furlong work in 48.67 seconds Wednesday over Saratoga’s main track, according to Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch, who clocked his final quarter in 23.70. Locked went in company with the 3-year-old Uncaged.