Locked back on best form in Woodward

No one would have faulted Locked for losing Saturday's $261,000 Woodward (G2), not after the field was reduced to three, one of whom was lone speed Phileas Fogg.

Phileas Fogg looked a winner for much of the 1 1/8-mile journey around Aqueduct's main track, but the multiple Grade 1-winning Locked chipped away at his lead inside the final furlong and bested the odds-on favorite by three parts of a length under John Velazquez. Post Time trailed throughout.

"We can't control what we can't control. The pace scenario today was one of those things, but we knew this horse was doing great," said Stu Hampson, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. "He likes this track and we had a Hall of Famer in the saddle, and thankfully we ended up on the right end today."

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, Locked finished up in 1:48.11 over a fast track and paid $4.46.

Locked, whose previous stakes wins include the 2023 Breeders' Futurity (G1), 2024 Cigar Mile (G2), and 2025 Santa Anita H. (G1), now likely heads to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1. The four-year-old son of Gun Runner, who won the Classic at Del Mar in 2017, will go with some momentum following a mid-season slump as a short-priced contender in the Alysheba (G2) and Suburban (G2).

The lone Breeders' Cup Challenge event on Saturday's program, the $200,000 Vosburgh (G3) over seven furlongs, was won by second choice Patriot Spirit, who was registering his first graded triumph.

A pace-pressing second behind Light the Way, Patriot Spirit took over from that foe in upper stretch and extended his lead to 1 1/2 lengths at the finish under Javier Castellano. Crazy Mason rallied from far back for second, a half-length ahead of 2-1 favorite Scotland.

Owned by George Mellon and trained by Michael Campbell, Patriot Spirit finished up in 1:21.84 and paid $7.22.

A Kentucky-bred son of Constitution, Patriot Spirit is now 6-for-15 lifetime. He won the Inaugural S. at Tampa Bay Downs at two, the Illinois Derby at three, and preceded this win with a four-length triumph in the Reigh Count S. at Colonial Downs.

"He will be going to Keeneland for that meet and then, of course, we'll go by Del Mar, then I don't know what we'll do," Campbell said of Patriot Spirit's automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). "I don't like to get too far ahead of myself. I understand that Book'em Danno is not going to run in the Sprint this year; that is huge. That affects a lot of people with decision-making."

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has a barn full of talented female sprinters, one of whom, R Disaster, made short work of seven rivals in the $250,000 Gallant Bloom (G2).

Favored at approximately even-money, R Disaster held a comfortable lead throughout and drew off down the stretch to win by 3 1/2 lengths under Jose Ortiz. Patricia Ann, a 27-1 shot, finished second by two lengths over Sterling Silver.

Owned in partnership by Averill Racing, Two Eight Racing, and Anthony Mattera, R Disaster covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.78 and paid $4.24.

A Florida-bred daughter of Awesome Slew, R Disaster was winning for the first time at a graded level. Although victorious in the Reheboth S. at Delaware Park in May, she had suffered some agonizing beats this season in the Hurricane Bertie (G3), Vagrancy (G3), and Honorable Miss (G2), all by a half-length or less.

R Disaster is unlikely to travel to California for the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar.

"We'll gather and talk about it as a team, but I don't think so," Mattera said. "If Kopion goes to the Distaff (G1) and Sweet Azteca skips it, maybe we'd consider it."