Senor Buscador eyes San Diego after comeback win
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Senor Buscador could see stakes action later this month at Del Mar after winning his comeback race Sunday at Lone Star Park. Trainer Todd Fincher said the horse is being considered for a start in the Grade 2, $300,000 San Diego on July 30.
Fincher will have a division of horses at Del Mar this summer, and Senor Buscador is scheduled to arrive in Southern California on July 14. Others headed west for the barn include Smash Ticket, who first is set to run Saturday at Belmont Park in the Grade 3 Victory Ride. Following that race, she will be flown to Del Mar, said Fincher, who will be in New York to saddle Smash Ticket.
Smash Ticket won an allowance off a layoff May 30 at Lone Star. Senor Buscador was making his first start since a fifth-place finish in the February 2021 running of the Risen Star at Fair Grounds. He was a two-length winner of the allowance over 6 1/2 furlongs and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91. It was just two points below the career-high of 93 he put up winning the Springboard Mile in 2020 at Remington Park.
“He ran a nice race,” Fincher said. “He’s probably 80, 85 percent on that day. Hopefully, he can build off of that.”
Senor Buscador is a 4-year-old son of Mineshaft who races for his co-breeder, Joe Peacock Jr. He would be moving back to two turns for the San Diego, which is run over 1 1/16 miles.
“Hopefully, we’ll make it to the San Diego,” Fincher said. “We’re not sure yet. It’s on our radar. That’s [July] 30th. He ran on [July] 3rd. I don’t think the timing is too bad.”
Senor Buscador is out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Rose’s Desert, who has produced Grade 3 Sunland Derby winner Runaway Ghost; Sunland Park Handicap winner Sheriff Brown; and Lone Star stakes winner Our Iris Rose.
Fincher’s division at Del Mar is scheduled to include Slammed, who is a half-sister to Smash Ticket. Slammed is 7 for 9 and will ship to Del Mar from Ruidoso Downs. Fincher is a former jockey and a perennial leading trainer in New Mexico. For the past few years, he has brought divisions to Sam Houston and Lone Star.
Other promising runners for the barn include Bold Connection, a 2-year-old filly by Uncle Mo. Bold Connection is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Sweet Loretta.