Buccherino lands trainer Velazquez another stakes win in Mr. Prospector
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Buccherino last August logged trainer Alfredo Velazquez’s first stakes win since Private Zone won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in 2014. Monday at Monmouth Park, Buccherino landed another stakes, capturing the $100,000 Mr. Prospector by one length.
The victory did not take anyone by surprise as Buccherino went off the 4-5 favorite under Paco Lopez and came through for his many backers.
Subrogate, racing for the first time since July, finished second, a half-length in front of third-place Dean Delivers, winner of the 2024 Mr. Prospector. Subrogate, who had to be hard ridden to stay in contention past the three-furlong marker, tried to close along the rail in the homestretch, and did well to nab second after failing to change leads.
Lopez gave Buccherino a perfect pressing trip, sitting just off the flank of pacesetting Super Chow through a quarter mile in 21.97 seconds. Buccherino hit the turn in great position, Lopez eased his mount to the lead before the five-sixteenths marker, sat chilly until he’d passed the three-sixteenths pole, used his crop the first of three times at the eighth pole, and flagged Buccherino with the stick through the final strides.
Buccherino clocked 1:09.47 for six furlongs on a fast track and paid $3.60. Florida-bred Buccherino is by Bucchero out of Bellimbusto, by First Dude, and Velazquez trains the colt for the Happy Tenth Stable.
Buccherino was just all right as a 2-year-old but improved markedly last year at age 3, getting all the way up to a 98 Beyer Speed Figure finishing third in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob on Sept. 21 at Parx Racing, Velazquez’s base. Velazquez said Buccherino came out of the Gallant Bob with a foot injury, having ripped off most of his frog, and required plenty of time for the hoof to grow out. The colt returned to action May 5 with a Parx allowance win and followed up with his Mr. Prospector – Velazquez’s second stakes score in a good long while.
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