Senor Buscador eyes Risen Star, Southwest stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Senor Buscador, who closed at 34-1 in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, has options at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn for his 3-year-old debut, trainer Todd Fincher said Tuesday.

Senor Buscador won the $200,000 Springboard Mile in December at Remington Park. He’s since been working regularly at his winter base of Sam Houston.

“He’s been working well and is ready to run, whenever we find a spot,” Fincher said. “It’s either going to be the Risen Star or the Southwest. Probably the

Risen Star. I like the distance, for one, and it carries more points for the Kentucky Derby.”

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The Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star will be run over 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds. It’s first four finishers will earn Kentucky Derby points on a scale of 50-20-10-5.

The Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes will be run at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. The points scale is 10-4-2-1.

Senor Buscador has won both of his starts, with his debut coming in a maiden special weight over 5 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 6 at Remington. He then moved to two turns for the Springboard, and closed from last for a 5 3/4-length win, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 93.

Luis Quinonez was aboard for both races and will have the mount in either the Risen Star or Southwest, Fincher said.

Senor Buscador is a son of Mineshaft, a past winner of the New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds. His dam, Rose’s Desert, is a multiple stakes winner who produced the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby winner Runaway Ghost. Senor Buscador races for his co-breeder, Joe R. Peacock Jr.

* Keepmeinmind, who closed at 19-1 in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, breezed Tuesday at Oaklawn. He went five-eighths in the mud in 1:02. The winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is a candidate for the Southwest, according to his trainer, Robertino Diodoro.