If there is a will, there is a way, and the 'Senor' found a way. Senor Buscador mowed down rivals late in the GII San Diego H. to pick up the second Graded stakes victory of his career at 13-1 odds.
Starting his 2023 season with a dominating score in Sunland's Curribot H. Mar. 5, he ran fourth in a salty rendition of the GII Oaklawn H., and could not overcome early crowding in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup, finishing fifth behind returning foe Defunded (Dialed In) and GISW & G1SW Country Grammar (Tonalist).
Last after the jump and in the rear of the field for the lion's portion of the contest, Senor Buscador was perfectly content to watch it all unfold as Brickyard Ride and Slow Down Andy dueled for the pace control. Off the rail into the leading bend and five wide around the second as runners closed ranks, he was rolling under a full head of steam as he arrived in the lane in fourth but quickly closing the gap. Drawing alongside a leg-weary Brickyard Ride, who was about to be overtaken by Slow Down Andy, the winner continued his relentless grind to eventually prevail by 1 1/4 lengths.
After the race, both rider and trainer–who picked up their first stakes win of the meet here–were thrilled with the effort, and echoed similar sentiments about the horse's propensity to leave the blocks on the slower side.
“I told him [jockey Geovanni Franco] to just let the horse do his thing, don't panic and start riding early,” said Fincher after the race. “He's got one strong kick. He'll start picking them up at the half-mile pole on his own. Wait as long as you can, then push the button. He'll never do anything but fall back out of the gate, so we needed a good set-up.”
Hailing from a very busy family, a half-brother to a Graded stakes winner and two listed winners, Senor Buscador is out of New Mexican icon Rose's Desert, who made her name dominating that circuit. The 10-time winning racemare found similar acclaim as a producer, and has several young offspring in the wings including 2-year-old filly Aye Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}); a yearling Rose A (Hard Spun); and 2023 colt The Hell We Did (Authentic). That dam visited the venerable Into Mischief for 2024. This is the extended family of GSP Shaker Knit as well as a host of successful Argentinian black-type earners.
Run them down Senor! @franco_geo powers to the finish aboard Senor Buscador to win the Grade II San Diego Handicap. pic.twitter.com/OPGONwFORr
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) July 30, 2023
Saturday, Del Mar
SAN DIEGO H.-GII, $302,000, Del Mar, 7-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.54, ft.
1–SENOR BUSCADOR, 119, h, 5, by Mineshaft
1st Dam: Rose's Desert (MSW, $626,035), by Desert God
2nd Dam: Miss Glen Rose, by Peaks and Valleys
3rd Dam: Snippet, by Alysheba
O-Peacock Family Holdings LP; B-Joe R Peacock Sr. & Joe R Peacock Jr. (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher; J-Geovanni Franco. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 12-6-0-1, $667,427. *1/2 to Sheriff Brown (Curlin), MSW, $558,681; 1/2 to Our Iris Rose (Ghostzapper), SW, $307,880; 1/2 to Runaway Ghost (Ghostzapper), GSW, $783,509. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Slow Down Andy, 122, c, 4, Nyquist–Edwina E, by Square Eddie. O/B-Reddam Racing, LLC (CA); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $60,000.
3–Brickyard Ride, 120, h, 6, Clubhouse Ride–Brickyard Helen, by Southern Image. O/B-Alfred A. Pais (CA); T-Craig Anthony Lewis. $36,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 13.50, 3.90, 14.20.
Also Ran: Defunded, Tripoli, Royal Ship (Brz), Missed the Cut, American Admiral, Tisquantum. Scratched: Piroli.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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