Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The key to prayer is ablution; what makes things forbidden in it is the takbir; and what makes them lawful is the salam."
This is the preserved (mahfuz) version from Abu Sufyan Tarif al-Sa'di, and the hadith of Abu Sa'id revolves around him.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الصلاة / 3972