Before this weekend, no owner had swept Keeneland’s premier races for 2-year-olds in the fall: the Darley Alcibiades (G1) and the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1). 

That changed Saturday afternoon when Locked, owned in partnership by Aron Wellman’s Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Broad’s Walmac Farm, posted a gritty, half-length victory in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. 

The day before, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied won the Darley Alcibiades. 

Eclipse can complete the hat trick this afternoon as it is part of the ownership with Repole Stable and Michael House of Nest, the morning-line favorite for the Juddmonte Spinster (G1). 

On Sunday morning, Wellman still was relishing the victory by Locked that earned the colt a spot in the starting gate for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) to be run at Santa Anita Nov. 3. 

“I appreciated the support the public gave him making him the 3-5 favorite,” Wellman said. “We didn’t think he was 3-5 out of respect for the deep field and the quality of the field.” 

Breaking from post 9 in the nine-horse field, Locked was five wide going into the first turn and had a wide trip all the way around. 

“He overcame a lot of adversity yesterday,” Wellman said. “It was messy in the first turn and then he got shuffled back behind a moderate pace and was further back than we thought he would be.” 

Under Jose Ortiz, Locked moved four wide off the final turn to confront The Wine Steward, who fought back along the rail in the stretch run. 

“I was concerned when he didn’t separate from The Wine Steward at the eighth pole, because he had all the momentum coming off the turn,” Wellman said. “The Wine Steward is a two-time stakes winner and Locked got in a battle with him and proved he was capable.”