Senor Buscador runs his way into Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with Ack Ack win
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Senor Buscador ran his way to Keeneland and an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, proving clearly best Saturday in the Grade 3, $300,000 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs.
Speaker’s Corner, the 7-5 favorite, and Fulsome, the 3-1 second choice, both came up empty while Senor Buscador, using a looping outside surge, sweeping past front-running Surly Furious en route to his first stakes score since he won the Springboard Mile at Remington Park in December 2020.
Ridden by Francisco Arrieta, Senor Buscador returned $14.36 after finishing the one-turn mile in 1:34.60 over a fast track. Injunction was along for second and Three Technique for third in a field of eight older horses.
Senor Buscador was given a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
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“He’s always been super talented, but he’s had so many minor issues that it was killing us,” said Todd Fincher, who trains 4-year-old Senor Buscador for Joe Peacock Jr. “This is how good he is. People haven’t seen him run that good since he won at Remington, but now we’ve got him back to 100 percent and hopefully he’ll keep improving.”
With his 1 1/4-length victory, Senor Buscador earned the expenses-paid, Win and You’re In berth toward the Nov. 5 BC Dirt Mile.
“He’ll be heading to Keeneland either [Sunday] or Monday and we’ll get him started up all over again,” said Fincher.
For Arrieta, who won his first race in North America in 2015, it was his first graded stakes victory.
“Todd said let him run his race,” said Arrieta. “He jumped right into the race. He was in really good shape.”
Speaker’s Corner, in tight along the rail for much of the run down the backstretch, faded to seventh, while Fulsome was never in the hunt when fifth. Mailman Money and Twilight Blue were scratched.
Bill Mott, trainer of Speaker’s Corner, said jockey Junior Alvarado informed him the Godolphin homebred “really didn’t handle the trip well” after breaking from post 1. “I thought being drawn to the inside might be a little tough to get out front and it proved too difficult to ask today.”
The $2 exacta (8-7) paid $128.56, the $1 trifecta (8-7-5) returned $383.52, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-7-5-4) was worth $308.15.
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