Breeders' Cup Classic: Senor Buscador could be a live longshot
?q=100)
ARCADIA, Calif. – Senor Buscador will be a longshot in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, but if he gets some pace in front of him, he could very well be a live longshot.
On Thursday, Senor Buscador put in his final workout for the Classic, breezing five furlongs in 59.72 seconds over Santa Anita’s main track. He started about four lengths behind the Mike Puype-trained Kislovodsk, caught that horse in midstretch, and finished about three in front. Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch had Senor Buscador’s final three furlongs in 35.39 and had him galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.41 and seven-eighths in 1:27.50.
“He needed it,” trainer Todd Fincher said. “We gave him a real easy five-eighths last time, just got to build him back up, try to make him peak at the right time.”
Senor Buscador upset the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 13-1 at Del Mar in July. In the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Sept. 2 at Del Mar, he finished fourth, 2 1/2 lengths behind Arabian Knight and Geaux Rocket Ride, horses he will face again in the Classic. In the Awesome Again at Santa Anita, Senor Buscador rallied from well back to finish third, 3 1/4 lengths behind Slow Down Andy, who went gate to wire on a track Fincher believes favored that type of style.
“The track was a little [speed] biased both times,” Fincher said. “The day he ran here it was definitely biased, it was a major bias. He made up some ground. I was pretty impressed. You always want to win but what he did was pretty good.”
Though Senor Buscador also was pre-entered in the Dirt Mile, that was for insurance in case he didn’t draw into the Classic.
While Fincher is based in New Mexico, Senor Buscador has been based in Southern California all summer. With all the major work done for the Classic, Fincher was headed back to Zia Park, where he has 60 head stabled.
Geovanni Franco, aboard for Senor Buscador’s last three starts, worked the horse Thursday and will ride him in the Classic.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.