Todd Fincher

The 19th season of horse racing at Zia Park was a record setting one on several fronts with new standards set for average daily handle, purses and safety during the 30-day mixed Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred meet, the PENN Entertainment-owned track said in a release Thursday afternoon. An average daily handle of $830,371 was up 72% from the 48-date meet in 2022 to set a new track record and was the highest daily handle recorded by a racetrack in the state of New Mexico since 2010. Live handle was up an equally...

In a decision handed down Monday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) overturned a decision by Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) stewards at Albuquerque Downs Racetrack last September who ruled that jockey Oscar Ceballos had struck his mount, Sheriff Brown (Curlin), in the Downs At Albuquerque H. five more times than the maximum six strikes permitted by HISA. The sanctions imposed by the Albuquerque Downs stewards that day included a fine and suspension for the jockey, and disqualification of the horse's purse earnings. It is understood that this is the...

The list of potential runners for Del Mar's 33rd running of the G1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Sept. 2 has grown to 10, so far. Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) won last month's GII San Diego H., the local prep for the Pacific Classic. Todd Fincher is not afraid to put the 5-year-old homebred owned by Joey Peacock in after he rewarded the New Mexico-based trainer with the second Grade II stakes win of his career. Senor Buscador worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 (6/38) at Del Mar Thursday morning. "It's a Grade...

The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) earned a free entry into the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint with his victory in the GI Bing Crosby S. Saturday at Del Mar, but the 5-year-old gelding is not nominated to the Breeders' Cup and will need to be supplemented for $100,000 to make it into championship weekend. "We definitely are going to supplement for the Sprint," trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac said Sunday. "Especially since it's at Santa Anita this year. We'll possibly look for a prep. Long range, you look at your options, but...

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 &...

Once a year, a small track in New Mexico plays host to some big names as everyone chases points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the GIII Sunland Park Derby. While Tim Yakteen scratched his transfer in Fort Bragg (Tapit) Saturday, the field still included Bob Baffert's Hard to Figure (Hard Spun) and Steve Asmussen's How Did He Do That (Good Magic), as well as local Mine That Derby winner Henry Q (Blame). But for all the big connections, it was the longest shot on the board that...

Locally based Flying Connection turned in a powerful front-running performance Sunday to stamp her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks. The bay closed out last season with a convincing tally in the Zia Princess S., and resurfaced in the local Borderplex S. to be third at 30 cents on the dollar. She bounced back while stretching out to best Love Tank by more than nine lengths in the Island Fashion S. Feb. 28, but had to contend with Bob Baffert-trained invader Doinitthehardway this time. Able to seize a narrow advantage...

Joe Peacock, Jr.'s Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), who earned a berth in the field for next Saturday's GI BigAss Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile via his mild upset in the GIII Ack Ack S. at Churchill Downs Oct. 1, tuned up for that engagement with a 'solid' five-furlong work in the company of his GII Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-bound stable companion Sheriff Brown (Curlin) beneath jockey Francisco Arrieta at Keeneland Thursday morning. "We got what we wanted," trainer Todd Fincher said. "Senor Buscador started about six lengths back and got to the...

by J.N. Campbell If you didn't know the name of New Mexico's Todd Fincher, you do now. The past few weeks solidified it. "My phone's just blown up," he admitted. In the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. at Keeneland on Oct. 8, the trainer's 4-year-old filly Slammed (Marking) set the pace early. Never looking back, she torched a solid field by more than a half dozen lengths. Once supplemented for $200,000, she will race on the same track in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov....

Winner of the 2020 Springboard Mile, looking every bit a horse with a future, Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) was the 5-2 second favorite when pitched in against the likes of 'TDN Rising Star' and future GI Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in last year's GII Risen Star S. Sidelined off that effort and away nearly 16 months, connections kept the faith, and Saturday, the homebred colt rewarded them with a tough victory in the GIII Ack Ack S. at Churchill, earning a fees-paid berth into the...

4th-ZIA, Zia Park Juvenile S., $50K, 2yo, 6f, post time: 3:21 ET After New Mexico trainer Todd Fincher signed the winning ticket at $870,000 on a colt by Quality Road at last year's Keeneland September Sale, Bob Baffert was overheard saying to Fincher and his owner Lori Owens, "You bought my horse." The gray, now named BYE BYE BOBBY gets going in Tuesday's Zia Park Juvenile S., the first of seven stakes on the Zia Park Derby undercard. Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, the April foal is out of...

Most of the racing world was likely asleep or otherwise occupied late Friday night, but the small fraction that was awake and watching the action at Remington Park may have witnessed the breakout of a star 2021 3-year-old as well as the birth of a feel-good story of the year candidate. Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), a homebred with just one 5 1/2-furlong start under his belt, was slow out of the stalls in the $200,000 Springboard Mile S. before rocketing past every rival in the 10-horse field to score a dazzling...