Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Fincher eyeing path to Derby
Senor Buscador is being pointed to a Kentucky Derby prep race following his commanding win in Friday night’s $200,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park.
The horse roared to a 5 3/4-length victory over Cowan, covering the mile for 2-year-olds in 1:37.87. For the effort, Senor Buscador earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 93.
The morning after his race, trainer Todd Fincher was traveling with Senor Buscador.
“I’m driving down the road listening to Christmas music,” Fincher said Saturday. “He’s in the trailer behind me. We’re going to Houston.”
Fincher has 24 stalls at Sam Houston Race Park for the meet that opens in January. The trainer, who is based in New Mexico, said he and owner Joe Peacock Jr. will be mapping out a game plan for Senor Buscador.
“We’ve got to start looking at Derby preps,” he said. “Everything’s on the table.”
Fincher said that includes Kentucky Derby points races at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park.
The Springboard Mile offered Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the first four finishers Friday on a scale of 10-4-2-1, but only Cowan was eligible for those points as he did not race on Lasix. The Kentucky Derby will be run Lasix-free in 2021, and horses in points races who race on Lasix in those events are not eligible for Kentucky Derby points, according to a Churchill Downs official. Cowan earned four points from the Springboard Mile.
Fincher said it was a deliberate decision to keep Senor Buscador on Lasix for the Springboard Mile as the horse was stretching out from a 5 1/2-furlong maiden-special win in his career debut Nov. 6 at Remington.
“It was a big stretch-out,” Fincher said. “It was precautionary.”
Fincher said Senor Buscador would come off Lasix for any future Kentucky Derby prep race.
Senor Buscador is a homebred for Peacock. The son of Mineshaft is a half-brother to both Runaway Ghost, winner of the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby, and Sheriff Brown, a stakes winner now stabled at Sam Houston for Fincher and Peacock. Runaway Ghost has been retired, Fincher said, and is set to enter stud in New Mexico.
“His little brother is making him look good,” Fincher said.
Senor Buscador is a May foal and that played into his November debut, Fincher said.
“He’s a big, strong colt,” he said. “We let him grow into himself.”
Senor Buscador on Friday closed from last to first under jockey Luis Quinonez. Fincher liked the all-around composure the horse showed in his second career start in the Springboard Mile.
“He was way more professional in the paddock and post parade,” he said. “He was more focused. He knew what was going on.”
McPeek winners off to Florida
Trainer Ken McPeek won both of the stakes he had starters in on the Springboard Mile card on Friday night at Remington Park, taking the $75,000 She’s All In with Jeweled Princess and the $60,000 Trapeze with Olivia of the desert. Both horses invaded from Keeneland and are now headed to McPeek’s farm in Florida.
“They’ll be going to Florida to get a rest,” McPeek said Saturday. “Both have been going all year. They’re both really professional. I was real pleased with the season they had and glad to top it off with a stakes win.”
Jeweled Princess defeated older rivals in the She’s All In, when she put in a gusty run up the rail for a head victory. For the effort, Jeweled Princess earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 87. Her campaign for next year is to be determined, but the filly owned by the Texas-based Walking L Thoroughbreds could come under consideration for the Grade 3, $300,000 Sam Houston Ladies Classic on Jan. 31 at Sam Houston.
“It’s not out of the question,” McPeek said. “We’ll take her to Florida for the time being.”
Olivia of the desert also shot up the fence in the Trapeze, winning the mile race for 2-year-old fillies in a three-way photo. For the effort she earned a Beyer of 78. She is a daughter of Bernardini who races for Susan Moulton. Plans for next year are to be determined, McPeek said.
“I want to get her into a two turn routine,” McPeek said. “Maybe something at the Fair Grounds. Maybe Gulfstream.”
Both fillies were ridden by Remington’s leading jockey, David Cabrera.
“It was an excellent job by David Cabrera,” McPeek said. “He did a fantastic job getting through on the rail in both races.”
McPeek won a total of three stakes at the Remington meet that was to end Tuesday, as he also captured the Grade 3, $100,000 Remington Park Oaks in September with Envoutante.
Bauer plans Oaklawn string
The last time Phil Bauer spent any length of time at Oaklawn Park it was working as an assistant trainer to McPeek.
Bauer will return to the track as a head trainer this meet, with a 10-horse division in place for the season that opens Jan. 22. Bauer also has a division of horses at Fair Grounds.
“With the numbers that we have, we’re going to split horses this year,” he said.
Bauer is a private trainer for the Rigney Racing operation of Richard and Tammy Rigney. He took out his trainer’s license in 2013.
“It’s certainly a dream come true and a blessing to work with somebody like Richard and Tammy,” Bauer said.
Bauer is in the midst of his best year on the track, with stable earnings approaching $1 million through Saturday.
◗ Delta Downs on Sunday was scheduled to begin accepting online entries from trainers through a special software program.
◗ Zia Park closes its meet Wednesday with an 11-race card that starts at 11:30 a.m. Mountain.