Senor Buscador works, being pointed to Hollywood Gold Cup
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The three-time stakes winner Senor Buscador will start at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 29, a chance to test the 5-year-old’s ability against some of California’s leading older horses.
Trained by Todd Fincher for Joe Peacock, Senor Buscador has had mixed results in two starts this year. Senor Buscador won the minor Curribot Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Sunland Park on March 5, and was a troubled fourth in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on April 22.
Senor Buscador was beaten three lengths by Proxy at Oaklawn Park after sustaining bumps at the start.
“He made a helluva move and maybe got a little flat,” Fincher recalled on Thursday from his base at Ruidoso Downs, N.M. “He did get bumped on both sides.”
A winner of 5 of 10 starts, Senor Buscador has closed from well off the pace in many of his starts. Fincher hinted that Senor Buscador could race more from a stalking position in the Hollywood Gold Cup.
“He gives himself a lot to do,” Fincher said. “If he would run away from there a little bit, it would help him a ton. We might ask him in the first few jumps.”
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Fincher said he has not selected a rider for Senor Buscador.
The $400,000 Hollywood Gold Cup will be Senor Buscador’s first start in California since a third in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar last August. In October, Senor Buscador won the Grade 3 Ack Ack Stakes at a mile at Churchill Downs, but was eighth of nine in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland in November.
On Thursday at Santa Anita, Senor Buscador worked five furlongs in 1:00.80, slightly quicker than Fincher expected.
“We wanted to go nice and smooth with his first trip over the track,” Fincher said.
Senor Buscador, by Mineshaft, is temporarily based with trainer Mike Puype at Santa Anita.
The list of Gold Cup candidates is led by Country Grammer, who was second in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February, but seventh in the $12 million Dubai World Cup in March; and Defunded, the convincing three-length winner of the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on April 22.
Country Grammer and Defunded are trained by Bob Baffert.
The Gold Cup is one of three Grade 1 races on the May 29 program, along with the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile on turf, and the $400,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Fincher has California plans through the summer. He had a six-horse stable at Del Mar last summer, and hopes to have as many as 12 horses for that track’s summer season this year.
Slammed, second in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar last August, is in training at Ruidoso Downs. The Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares at Los Alamitos on July 4 is an early summer goal with Slammed, Fincher said.
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