The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is Saturday (Jan. 27) at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/8-mile race is for 4-year-olds and up. usracing.com will publish profiles of all the contenders.
Like stablemate and fellow Pegasus World Cup entry First Mission, Senor Buscador comes into the race at Gulfstream Park off a runner-up finish.
Brad Cox-trained Senor Buscador finished a distant second to Hoist the Gold in the Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct on Dec. 4; First Mission was second in the Clark (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24.
The 6-year-old son of Mineshaft has a Grade 2 win on his resume, the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar in July after rallying from ninth in the final 5/16th of a mile.
He’s competed in three Grade 1s, finishing fourth in the Pacific Classic, third in the Awesome Again, and seventh in the BC Classic at Santa Anita. A month later, he closed out 2023 in the Cigar Mile. Trained by New Mexico-based Todd Fincher, Senor Buscador worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.08 at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18 under regular rider Junior Alvarado – his fourth work since arriving in south Florida.
“Junior was very happy with him. He said he galloped out strong. He said, ‘We went way past the wire and let him gallop out,” trainer Todd Fincher said from Sunland Park. “He said he wanted to keep going. He was very happy with him.”
Betting advice: A deep closer with a chance to hit the board, especially if the pace is a fast one. If you’re looking for a longshot, consider this well-traveled competitor.
Odds: 20/1
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Trainer: Todd Fincher
Owner: Joe R. Peacock, Jr.
Age: 6
Career record: 16-6-1-2
Career earnings: $923,427
Most recent race: Cigar Mile (G2), Aqueduct, Dec. 2, (second)
Top Equibase speed figure: 111
Pedigree: Mineshaft-Rose's Desert, by Desert God
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notes: Senor Buscador has raced at 10 different tracks in his 16-race career, but this will be his first race at Gulfstream Park ... Rose’s Desert was a New Mexico sensation. Joe Peacock, Sr. Was the breeder of the mare who won seven state-bred stakes, and won 10 of 15 races, and was second in the other five ... Joe, Jr. begins his fifth year as an owner with Senor Buscador his only graded stakes winner – the 2022 Ack Ack (G3)
| 1 | Nimitz Class | 20-1 | George Weaver | Edgard J. Zayas |
| 2 | O'Connor | 8-1 | Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. | Paco Lopez |
| 3 | Dynamic One | 15-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Irad Ortiz, Jr. |
| 4 | Hoist The Gold | 12-1 | Dallas Stewart | John R. Velazquez |
| 5 | Trademark | 12-1 | Victoria H. Oliver | Fernando De La Cruz |
| 6 | Senor Buscador | 6-1 | Todd W. Fincher | Junior Alvarado |
| 7 | National Treasure | 9-5 | Bob Baffert | Flavien Prat |
| 8 | First Mission | 7-2 | Brad H. Cox | Luis Saez |
| 9 | Grand Aspen | 8-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Jose L. Ortiz |
| 10 | Il Miracolo | 20-1 | Antonio Sano | Javier Castellano |
| 11 | Crupi | 20-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Lanfranco Dettori |
| 12 | Skippylongstocking | 8-1 | Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 13 | Castle Chaos | AE | Robert N. Falcone, Jr. | Tyler Gaffalione |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
