Photo:

Scott Serio / Eclipse Sportswire

Locked, winner of the Cigar Mile and runner-up in the Pegasus World Cup in his last two starts, reportedly will skip the $20 million Saudi Cup in favor of a 2025 domestic campaign beginning with the Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 1.

Aaron Wellman, founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which owns the son of Gun Runner in partnership with Walmac Farm, announced the plan in a text, according to Thoroughbred Daily News, which first reported the story.

“While we appreciate the gracious invite and the purse money is tempting, we’re going to focus on a domestic campaign, with our near-term goal being the Big ‘Cap,” TDN quoted Wellman as saying.

Wellman did not elaborate on the reasons for the decision on Locked, according to the TDN report.

Locked had been listed as probable for the Saudi Cup in a news release sent Friday by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia.

The withdrawal of Locked from the race, coupled with the recent pullouts of White Abbario, Sierra Leone and Senor Buscador, mean Rattle N Roll will be the sole American entrant in the Saudi Cup (G1), the world’s richest race to be run Feb. 22 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

While American participation in will be light, quality horses from Europe, Asia and the Mideast are expected to run in the 1,800-meter race (just short of 9 furlongs). Among them are Japan’s Forever Young, the defending champion and early favorite in European futures betting, Hong Kong’s 10-time group 1 winner Romantic Warrior, the 2024 Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Laurel River, Walk Of Stars, who won the Al Maktoum Challenge (G1) at Meydan last out and Ushba Tesora, runner-up in last year’s Saudi Cup.

Argentina-bred El Kodigo, racing for trainer Abdulaziz Mashref, will lead the local challenge for the sixth renewal of the race.