Ryan Hollingshead’s late goal lifts LAFC over New York City FC

• March 2, 2025

LOS ANGELES — A win is a win, but four games into its 2025 campaign, the Los Angeles Football Club has made a habit of playing nail-biters.

Last weekend it was a 1-0 Major League Soccer regular season-opening victory against Minnesota.

On Tuesday, it was a 1-0 clincher over Colorado to advance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

And Saturday at BMO Stadium, it was yet another 1-0 result to snatch LAFC’s first-ever victory over New York City FC.

Ryan Hollingshead’s goal in the 86th minute was his 30th in regular season play, tying the fullback with Graham Zusi for the most in MLS by a defender since 2010.

“To be in this league as long as I’ve been in this league and be able to get in front of goal as many times as I have is really exciting,” Hollingshead said. “I know I’ve been chasing Graham for a while and it’s been the talk for the last two years, so I gotta put it in the rear-view at some point. We’re getting closer.”

Since joining LAFC in 2022, Hollingshead has 12 regular season goals. His total of 30 ranks fourth all-time for career regular season goals from a defender, chasing Brek Shea (35), Atiba Harris (31) and Zusi (31).

The 33-year-old fullback entered the match on the left side in the 61st minute when LAFC made a series of changes, including to its formation, adjusting from a 5-2-3 to a 4-3-3 to make space and find a goal against New York, which kept the Black & Gold quiet through much of the first hour.

For the first time this year, LAFC began a match with three center backs and a pair of wing backs on the backline, including debut starts for Yaw Yeboah and Nkosi Tafari.

Hollingshead’s game-winning action materialized when Ukrainian defender Artem Smolyakov, making his LAFC and MLS debut as a substitute in the 76th minute, kicked off the sequence with a pass to Olivier Giroud.

Entering at the same moment as Smolyakov, Giroud replaced Jeremy Ebobisse, who also started for LAFC on opening day. Giroud dished the ball out wide to Denis Bouanga, giving his fellow Frenchman room to deliver a cross that just evaded the long center forward as well as winger David Martinez.

The ball bounced in the box in front of Hollingshead, who struck a one-time volley that split the legs of NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese.

“Ollie and David made great runs to the near post,” Hollingshead said. “The entire defense follows them. I’m squeaking in. If it squeaks through I’m there.

“I’m always one step ahead of maybe where Steve would want me to be. So sometimes that works out well for me, sometimes not so well. In these moments I’m attacking I can get on the right side of my winger and as soon as the play develops, I’m already a step ahead of him to get in the box. So picking and choosing the right moments to get in the area and to find my chances is where I’ve made my money.”

Freese made four saves for NYCFC (0-1-1, 1 point).

LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris stopped three shots for his third consecutive clean sheet. They have yet to concede during the run of play. The two goals LAFC did allow came during the club’s first match in freezing Denver on a penalty and a free kick.

“If you’re not pumping goals out then you need to work defensively,” Cherundolo said. “You need to keep games close. Maintaining the balance of this game is something that is very important to me. Just being lopsided and being an offensive powerhouse to me isn’t enough. Obviously we’d like to create more chances and not have just a one-goal cushion, but if that is not happening, then you cannot fall asleep and cut corners on the other side of the ball.”

LAFC (2-0-0, 6 points) joined MLS in 2018 with an ambitious attacking agenda under head coach Bob Bradley.

Upon taking the job in 2022, Cherundolo has focused on a defensive approach that resulted in fewer fireworks but more sustained success.

“If I handed you my 75-page philosophy of this game, it would be well-balanced,” Cherundolo said. “That’s pretty much what it comes down to. Understanding that controlling matches is very important, but you can control matches with and without the ball. And our players here at LAFC need to understand how to do that in all phases of the game.

“We don’t concede many goals in transition. We score a lot in transition. We score in the run of play. We don’t concede out of the run of play, which means to me my players understand how to act in each phase of the game and that’s very important in this game. If you can maintain that while staying healthy and physically fit you’ll win a lot of games.”

​ Orange County Register 

Mistake-prone Ducks allow Blackhawks to end 5-game losing streak

• March 2, 2025

ANAHEIM –– Just as the Ducks’ play proclaimed that they’d moved out of the NHL’s basement, they slipped against one of its worst teams, the Chicago Blackhawks, in a 6-3 loss riddled with self-inflicted wounds at Honda Center on Saturday night.

There, the Ducks fell in regulation for just the second time in 11 home games (8-2-1) and the third time in their past 12 games overall (8-3-1). Chicago halted its five-game freefall, though ascending star Connor Bedard was held scoreless for the fifth straight game. He has more assists (10) and points (11) versus the Ducks than he has against any other franchise.

Leo Carlsson poured in two goals and Jackson LaCombe tacked on another to stay hot for the Ducks. John Gibson, who was honored before the game for playing in his 500th career game last month, stopped 18 shots in defeat.

Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teräväinen led the charge for Chicago, combining for three goals and six points. Lukas Reichel contributed a goal and an assist. Former Duck Pat Maroon scored, as did Wyatt Kaiser. Former King Alex Martinez recorded career assists Nos. 200 and 201. Arvid Söderblom turned away 28 bids. Earlier in the day, Chicago traded its top defenseman, Seth Jones, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for goalie Spencer Knight and a first-round pick.

“I told them after the game, ‘we had more turnovers in this game than I think we had in the previous month,’” Coach Greg Cronin said.

“You can’t underestimate an opponent. There’s no doubt in my mind that there was a sense of overconfidence,” Cronin added. “The players know, they’re educated. They look at the standings. They see Jones gets traded, that (captain Nick) Foligno’s out. They lost their focus.”

Carlsson pulled up and buried an academic goal, a short-side laser for his second of the game and 13th of the season to give him nine points in his last eight appearances, with 2:44 remaining in the match. The No. 2 pick in 2023 outshined the top selection, Bedard, but little else went well for the Ducks.

“It was just a bad game. We’re a better team when we play simple and play fast, but didn’t do that in this game, [there were a] lot of turnovers,” Carlsson said.

The final 20 minutes arrived with the game very much in play, but the Ducks couldn’t capitalize on significant shot and face-off advantages while errors continued to compound themselves.

Donato smoked Brian Dumoulin through the neutral zone to skate down Teräväinen’s pass before utilizing a forehand-to-backhand-to-forehand move to beat Gibson cleanly with 9:04 to play.

He had also tallied on the power during a five-on-three situation at 7:40. The Ducks were called for concurrent penalties, resulting in a two-man disadvantage for a full two minutes, for the second time in a week. Last Sunday in Detroit, they surrendered two goals, but gave up only one Saturday, when Donato pushed a rebound by Gibson and the outnumbered Jacob Trouba.

“I’d be curious if we don’t have to kill the most 5-on-3s in the league,” Cronin said.

They’d already fallen down by a pair at the 4:53 mark when Reichel converted stick-side on a breakaway generated after Cutter Gauthier’s shot got stuffed in the slot.

Söderblom and Gibson kept the first period scoreless but sloppiness by the Ducks, including a sequence that gave Bedard a wide-open shot between the hash marks, bled into the middle frame.

Then, the teams combined to score five goals with the Ducks striking at 8:33 and 14:41, and Chicago tallying at 7:48, 10:24 and 13:16.

The Ducks headed into the dressing room down one goal thanks to LaCombe, who extended his points streak to five games (six points) by scoring a goal in consecutive contests. He activated, driving directly to the net as Ryan Strome cleverly looked off the defense before whipping the puck to LaCombe alone in front, where he scooped the puck over Söderblom’s pad for his 11th goal of the season.

“The end of the second period was our best push, we played with a lot of pace. I thought they were starting to lose their belief,” captain Radko Gudas said. “In the third, their fourth goal really brought us down to our knees.”

Chicago had scored two straight goals to establish a 3-1 edge.

Teräväinen ripped a shot from between the circles after three Ducks drifted to the goal line and two more were caught watching the puck as it went from low to high.

Maroon had reclaimed the lead for the ‘Hawks after he was left unmarked on the doorstep during a power play, which he concluded by flinging a shot past his former teammate Gibson.

The Ducks had knotted the game just 45 seconds after Chicago opened the scoring. Carlsson settled a wobbling puck and powered past Kaiser to flip a velvety backhand over the glove of his Swedish countryman Söderblom.

Kaiser buried the game’s first goal following a sequence during which the Ducks courted disaster repeatedly and finally gave up a goal. Kaiser’s marker was the second of his career, beating three defenders in the process as he navigated his way from the blue line to below the left faceoff dot.

Next up, the Ducks will travel to Edmonton to clash with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers on Tuesday.

​ Orange County Register 

Winter weather advisory issued for Northern Ventura County Mountains and 5 Freeway corridor near Santa Clarita for Sunday and Monday

• March 2, 2025

Northern Ventura County Mountains and 5 Freeway corridor near Santa Clarita are included in a winter weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday at 9:27 p.m. The advisory is valid from Sunday 6 a.m. until Monday, Mar. 3 at 4 p.m.

“Total snow accumulations 2 to 4 inches above 5000 feet, highest on interior slopes near the Kern County Line. For elevations 3000 to 5000 feet, a dusting to 2 inches can be expected, including Interstate 5 near the Grapevine. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph,” can be anticipated according to the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA. “Snow levels will begin 5000 to 6000 feet on Sunday morning, then fall toe between 3000 and 4000 feet Sunday night into Monday morning, when accumulating snow and icy road conditions will be possible across the Interstate 5 near the Grapevine.”

“Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches,” the NWS said. “Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.”

Winter driving essentials: Recommendations from the NWS for safe journeys

Winter weather can make driving treacherous, leading to over 6,000 weather-related vehicle fatalities and over 480,000 injuries each year. When traveling during snow or freezing rain, prioritize safety by slowing down. In near-freezing temperatures, it’s safest to assume that icy conditions exist on roadways and adjust your driving accordingly. Be cautious of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to snapping and falling hazards. If possible, avoid driving in such conditions. If you must venture out, opt for routes with fewer trees and power lines. Never touch a downed power line, and immediately dial 911 if you come across one. Here are additional winter driving tips from the NWS:

Share your travel plans:

When traveling out of town in hazardous winter weather, inform your family or friends of your destination, planned route, and estimated time of arrival.

Prepare your vehicle:

Ensure your gas tank is full and equip your vehicle with essential winter supplies such as a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket, extra warm clothing, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food.

Stay calm when stranded:

If you become stranded, stay composed. Notify someone about your situation and location. Avoid attempting to walk to safety. Attach a cloth to your car’s antenna or mirror to signal that you require assistance. Make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and flashers.

Be aware of snow plows:

Keep an eye out for snow plows and allow them ample room to pass. Only overtake a plow when you have a clear view of the road ahead.

Check road conditions:

Before embarking on your journey, verify the current road conditions to make informed travel decisions.

Stay safe on wintry roads with these valuable winter driving tips from the NWS, and reduce the risk of accidents during challenging weather conditions.

​ Orange County Register 

Journalism wins at Santa Anita, confirms Kentucky Derby potential

• March 2, 2025

ARCADIA — He has been many handicappers’ horse of the future, boasting the pedigree and connections to get better as distances increase and the Kentucky Derby trail steepens.

But as he bent into the Santa Anita homestretch Saturday, 3-year-old Journalism turned into the colt of the moment.

The 3-1 second choice of bettors, Journalism and jockey Umberto Rispoli swept up on the outside of 2-5 favorite Barnes, got the lead with 100 yards to go and went on to win by 1¾ lengths in the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes.

Adding 37.5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the 10 he’d earned by winning the Los Alamitos Futurity in December, Journalism almost certainly has enough to secure a spot in the May 3 Derby no matter where he finishes in the April 5 Santa Anita Derby.

“It’s a little overwhelming to think where this horse could go,” trainer Michael McCarthy said.

The victory, worth $8.20 per $2 win bet, was part of a huge day for McCarthy and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which is among Journalism’s owners.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners also is the principal owner of Locked, the impressive winner of the $300,000, Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, the afternoon’s main event.

McCarthy ended up winning all three stakes on the Santa Anita Handicap undercard as Formidable Man ($12.20) and Rispoli captured the $300,000, Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile and Liguria ($11.40) and Flavien Prat took the $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes.

Journalism, a son of Curlin and the Uncle Mo mare Mopotism who now has three wins in four career starts, hadn’t competed since the 1 1/16-mile Los Alamitos race 77 days earlier and was being trained with the knowledge that the San Felipe was only an early step on the Triple Crown trail.

While saying McCarthy was ready for the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe, McCarthy said the colt wasn’t cranked up all the way.

“I was confident, but I wasn’t overconfident,” said McCarthy, who has pursued the 3-year-old classics before, winning the 2021 Preakness with Rombauer. “I thought he was where he needed to be to run well. “It’s pretty exciting to think where he could go from here if he moves forward (improves) off this race.”

Barnes and Juan Hernandez held second by a distance over Rodriguez and Prat, and Mellencamp and Mike Smith nosed Smooth Cruisein and Ricardo Gonzalez out of fourth to give trainer Bob Baffert the 2-3-4 finishers.

The scratch of Berlin Wall reduced the field to five, so the normal 50 Derby qualifying points for a race at this stage of the season were reduced by 25% to 37.5 for the winner and 18.75, 11.25, 7.5 and 3.75 for the rest.

Rispoli had Journalism as far back as fourth on the backstretch before angling to the outside on the turn for home. Barnes seemed to be cruising on the lead, with Rodriguez laying second. The half-mile time of 47.31 seconds was relatively slow for a race that finished in 1:42.24.

But Barnes, racing beyond 7 furlongs for the first time, couldn’t keep going well enough to hold off Journalism.

“I have no excuses,” Hernandez said. “He (Barnes) was traveling really well. We just got beat by a better horse, I guess.”

Rispoli said the race went perfectly for Journalism.

“Once I took him out (from behind the leaders) and pressed the button, he put on the beast mode,” the jockey said.

A half-hour later, Rispoli rode Formidable Man to a come-from-behind, half-length win over longshot Zio Jo in the Kilroe Mile on turf for 4-year-olds and up, as 4-5 favorite Mi Hermano Ramon got clear late but could only rally for fifth.

The first of McCarthy’s three stakes winners, Liguria, trailed a field of six fillies and mares turning into the stretch and rallied on the rail to edge Tirupati and favorite Rashmi in the Buena Vista Stakes.

​ Orange County Register 

Tesoro girls basketball caps turnaround by defeating Serra in CIF-SS 4AA championship game

• March 2, 2025

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HUNTINGTON BEACH — Tesoro’s girls basketball team never imagined before the season that it would reach the CIF Southern Section finals, let alone experience the special memories that flowed at Edison High on Saturday.

The Titans, after all, finished 4-23 last season.

“I don’t think any of us would have thought that we would make a CIF champion,” Tesoro senior guard Jade McMahon said. “I mean, we scheduled our banquet before our season ended. So I think it was probably the last thing we expected.”

Tesoro is now discussing hosting “Banquet #2” after defeating Serra 59-46 in a physical Division 4AA final for its first section title in girls basketball.

Behind a stellar performance from its backcourt of McMahon and sophomore Caitlyn Tse and the rebounding of junior center Charlotte Marvin, the Titans (23-11) seized control with a 13-0 run in the second quarter and answered Serra’s surge in the third period with a composed effort.

Tse score six of her team-high 18 points in the fourth while McMahon finished 17 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.

Marvin, who began playing basketball as a freshman, grabbed 12 of her 19 rebounds in the first half and added two assists and blocked three shots.

After receiving the championship plaque, Tesoro’s players jumped and cheered at center court.

“We had some kids just decide, ‘You know what, I’m going to buy-in all the way’ and then we had kids follow that,” second-year Tesoro coach Ra Reyes said of his squad, which will play next week in the CIF SoCal Regional playoffs. “That’s what contributed to the turnaround. That’s really the kids. I’m just the vehicle.”

Tesoro, the third-place team from the Sea View League, showcased its improvements with an impressive second quarter. The Titans went on a 13-0 run to open 26-13 lead.

The surge started with a foul shot by Samantha Burkett and included a putback by Marvin, a 3-pointer from the corner by Alexa Martinez and a slick pass from McMahon to a cutting Burkett for a basket.

Tesoro made 8 of 17 shots from the floor in the second (47 percent) to lead 36-19 at intermission. The Titans’ desire was highlighted in the frame with a head-first dive by freshman Elyse Thomas for a loose ball.

“A lot of (our improvement) was (due to) individual work,” McMahon said. “We worked on team chemistry. A lot of it just goes to my teammates. I really appreciate the effort that they put in.”

Serra (18-13) went on a 10-0 run in the third in trimming Tesoro’s lead to 41-37 but Tse sank a late 3-pointer from the top of arc for a 44-37 advantage going into the fourth. She finished two drives to the basket early in the fourth as the Titans again found their footing.

“Just have confidence in myself,” Tse said of her approach. “And I have confidence in my teammates that we can get across and that we can finish it.”

​ Orange County Register 

Protesters rally against Elon Musk, DOGE at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne

• March 2, 2025

Hundreds converged in front of SpaceX’s Hawthorne headquarters on Saturday afternoon, March 1, to protest Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, along with decisions taken by the Trump Administration.

The rally, which crowded both sidewalks along Crenshaw Boulevard, was organized by three democratic organizations: 5051, Indivisible and Westside Democratic HQ. The protest was dubbed “Destruction of Our Government by Elon” – a play on words of Musk’s task force.

“Today, we helped people share their voice,” said Emily W., an organizer with 5051, an ongoing political action organization. “We’re non-violent. but we did prepare for violent counter-protesters, but we didn’t see any today. It’s been peaceful, we hope that it’s been inspiring to folks to keep fighting.”

Protesters held signs addressing an array of issues, from putting a stop to DOGE, protecting trans rights and denouncing President Trump’s and Musk’s actions, among others.

The Department of Government Efficiency was created on Jan. 20 by President Trump, with a mission to slash federal spending. Since then, the task force – led by Musk – has dismissed workers across the federal government.

“I’m here to protest Elon Musk’s takeover of the government,” said Nancy Polikoff, 73, from Marina Del Rey on Saturday. “It’s already affected people I know that have lost their jobs. I also think his entire purpose is self dealing, so he’s going to make sure the agencies that regulate his businesses shut down and he’s going to tamper with government contracts to make sure they all come out in his favor.”

Critics of the task force say that Musk, who runs companies including SpaceX that receive billions in government contracts, could be engaged in work through DOGE that may pose conflicts of interest with his private business.

Democratic lawmakers are also demanding answers from Musk about whether staffers at DOGE have shared national security secrets over insecure communication channels.

For many protesters, their concerns are what these federal cuts in staffing and programs will do to everyday people, especially those part of marginalized communities.

“There has been so much crazy stuff happening that is anti-democratic and not what I think this country was founded for. We’re supposed to be here for immigrants, people of color, and minority groups,” said Zachary McKinnon, 31, from Long Beach. “Musk, he’s not elected, he’s a random billionaire that’s basically raiding our taxes and using them to make his own pocket fuller.”

McKinnon said he was excited to see so many people at the protest, and it made him feel supported. Some of the executive orders that President Trump has signed have personally affected McKinnon as well.

“The Trump administration and the executive orders stopped me from being able to get a passport with my gender that I identify with,” he said. “All the federal programs that are being defunded that help LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, people who want to get ahead in life, people who don’t make that much money or who depend on their Social Security; it’s horrible that they’re taking money from the most needy groups in our country, that’s what our taxes should be going toward.”

Protesters and the organizations that held the rally are hoping to bring more attention to the issues that Musk and DOGE are promoting and encourage others to join in denouncing the Trump administration’s actions.

“I wish that others could see that these people don’t have our best interest in mind,” McKinnon said, “and we need to have leadership that is for the everyday working person and represents us better not just their own interests.”

Trump has said the nation, facing $36 trillion in debt, must cut federal spending.

“We’re cutting down the size of government. We have to,” Trump said during the first Cabinet meeting of his second term. “We’re bloated. We’re sloppy. We have a lot of people that aren’t doing their job.”

Musk has defended DOGE’s work as “common sense” and “not draconian or radical.”

“The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what the people are going to get,” he said. “That’s what democracy is all about.”

Also Saturday, anti-DOGE protests were held at some Tesla stores around the country. Musk is is the automaker’s CEO.

Last year, Musk announced plans to move the headquarters of SpaceX, the space flight company he founded, to Texas.

​ Orange County Register 

Kings suffer third straight loss, fall to Blues

• March 2, 2025

ST. LOUIS — Colton Parayko and Pavel Buchnevich each scored, and Jordan Binnington made 25 saves to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Kings 4-1 on Saturday night.

Dylan Holloway and Zack Bolduc also scored for St. Louis, which has won four in a row for the first time this season.

Kevin Fiala scored, and David Rittich made 30 saves for Los Angeles, which has lost three straight.

Bolduc scored his ninth goal of the season on a breakaway 9:27 into the second period to expand St. Louis’ lead to 3-1.

Buchnevich scored his 13th goal of the season on a feed from Robert Thomas to put St. Louis ahead 2-1 with 1:53 remaining in the first period. Thomas has an assist in nine straight games.

Parayko scored his career-best 15th goal of the season on a feed from Jordan Kyrou 9:37 into the first period to tie the game at 1-all.

Fiala scored his 24th goal of the season on a power play 3:43 into the first period to put the Kings ahead 1-0.

Despite scoring first, Los Angeles showed signs of fatigue after playing Friday night in Dallas.

St. Louis controlled the flow of the game for the majority of the contest as the team finally appears to be hitting its stride under coach Jim Montgomery. The Blues are 4-0-1 since play resumed after the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Buchnevich almost scored a second goal as time expired in the second period, but the puck crossed the goal line about a tenth of a second after time expired.

Montgomery won his 200th career regular-season game in his 336th career game as a head coach making him the sixth-fastest coach in NHL history to achieve that milestone.

The Kings play next at Chicago on Monday night.

​ Orange County Register 

Locked earns Santa Anita ‘redemption’ in Big ’Cap win

• March 2, 2025

ARCADIA – The last time Locked ran at Santa Anita, in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, he went off favored on the tote board but endured a troubled trip around the track and finished a well-beaten third.

In the colt’s return Saturday, for the Santa Anita Handicap, he was again favored, and this time there was no disappointment.

Locked and jockey Jose Ortiz took a wide path around both turns but overcame the loss of ground and then some, powering away to an 8½-length victory, the largest in 88 runnings of the $300,000, Grade I race.

“We felt like we didn’t get the fairest of shakes in the Breeders’ Cup when he was here at (age) 2, and thankfully, he got redemption today,” said Aron Wellman, head of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, who are among Locked’s owners.

Locked (who paid $3.40 to win) covered 1¼ miles in 2:01.71, the fastest clocking for the Santa Anita Handicap since Shaman Ghost’s 2:01.57 in 2017.

Trained in Florida by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Locked also became the first horse since Shaman Ghost to come in from out of state and win the Santa Anita Handicap.

Finishing second was Express Train, the tenacious 8-year-old trying to win Santa Anita’s most historic race for the second time after doing it in 2022. Locked’s fellow Florida shipper Hit Show finished third.

The order was completed by Midnight Mammoth, JB Strikes Back, Katonah, New King and pacesetter Mirahmadi, and Tarantino was scratched.

But it was 4-year-old Locked’s race all the way, even if that wasn’t obvious when he went into the first turn running sixth, four paths out from the rail after starting from post 7 in the field of eight.

Wellman spread the credit around after the Big ’Cap, which capped a day when his ownership group also won the $300,000, Grade II San Felipe Stakes with Journalism.

Wellman said Ortiz told him before the race: “I’m not going to worry too much about how much ground I lose, I just want to make sure (Locked is) engaged and in the clear.” It went as Ortiz planned.

Wellman said it was jockey John Velazquez who recommended fitting Locked with blinkers after riding him in his Grade II Cigar Mile victory and two other races. After Locked threw his head right before the start of the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park and finished a distant second to White Abarrio, Wellman said, it was time for the equipment change.

“It certainly looks like it did the trick,” Wellman said.

The win makes Locked 5 for 8 in his career, with earnings over $1.6 million, and three for four since returning from an 11-month layoff forced by a knee injury that kept him off the 2024 Triple Crown trail.

“You never take anything for granted (about a horse coming back),” Wellman said. “He had a really bizarre injury that not a lot of people had seen before. A lot of hands went into his return to the races.”

The moment was emotional for Wellman, a Southern California native and Rancho Santa Fe resident who played soccer at UC Santa Barbara.

“It’s a huge honor to be here with a horse like Locked,” he said in the winner’s circle on a cloudy day with temperatures in the 60s. “I grew up coming to Santa Anita every weekend with my parents. To win a race like the Big ’Cap, it’s what dreams are made of.”

Locked, who won the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland before his Breeders’ Cup loss to Fierceness, ends a string of seven Big ’Cap winners who came into the race without a Grade I win.

He should move up in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association rankings after being No. 5 this week behind White Abarrio, Thorpedo Anna, Sierra Leone and Straight No Chaser.

If all goes well, he can get more redemption at the 2025 Breeders’ Cup, where Locked should be a contender for the $7 million Classic Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

​ Orange County Register