Tag: senor buscador

Fincher Back To ‘Bread & Butter’ After Dubai, Oaklawn Road Beckons

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico–Todd Fincher cuts an easy path along the apron through the Sunday crowd at Sunland Park, giving nods and an occasional smile as he goes. It's closing day at the track and a homebred owned by Kirk and Judy Robison from his shedrow just won the Island Fashion S.

Sporting his standard duds, including a ball cap, creased jeans and shades, Fincher has his modular phone slung on his belt, ready to be drawn from its holster.

“Busy,” replies the New-Mexico based trainer when asked about how it's all going. “It's just been such a non-stop crazy time, but coming back to Sunland Park, this is my bread and butter.”

Fincher returned only a week ago from his second Middle East junket which capped Senor Buscador's (Mineshaft) successful two-race sojourn to that part of the world. Unless you have resided under an igneous rock, then you know that Joey Peacock's 6-year-old stalwart won the G1 Saudi Cup and then finished third in the G1 Dubai World Cup.

“The experience was great and even though the result in Dubai wasn't what we wanted, everyone was incredibly welcoming,” he said. “Even in a race as big as that one was, I don't get disappointed because at least 75 percent of the time you are going to lose in racing, so getting down like I used to serves no purpose whatsoever.”

Don't misinterpret Fincher's words because he wanted Buscador to win the World Cup. He wants to win them all and badly. Feigning disappointment is his prosaic outlook shining through. You have to have this kind of attitude, which hails from a special place inside and comes from a host of life experiences.

Like a character out of an Ace Reid Cowpoke cartoon, the horseman has a thin build which is a reminder that he used to ride for a living. The mental toughness he developed in the saddle while breaking young horses and as a New Mexico jockey some 30 years ago has served him well, especially in a business like conditioning.

Todd Fincher (left) with Only One America in the Island Fashion S. | Coady Photography

“I'd win three races riding and think I was on top,” he said. “And then that would dry up and I would get really, really down on myself, so you can't do that. It's a humbling sport with so many factors out of your control. You always have to be thankful for wins like Buscador delivered and he is not done yet, we hope.”

Fincher confirmed that Senor Buscador has arrived safely at Peacefield Farm in Temecula, California and will be given several weeks off before a new training cycle could start.

“Just like always, we are going to let him tell us,” he said. “I think the GII Pat O'Brien S. could be possible, we'll see, and then long term, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.” Two years ago at Del Mar, Buscador finished third in the O'Brien to Laurel River (Into Mischief), who ran away with this year's Dubai World Cup.

While the Saudi Cup champ gets a break, his trainer will be doing nothing of the sort. With Sunland complete, Fincher's stable shifts to SunRay Park up in Farmington, New Mexico, but he loaded up a trailer bound for Hot Springs, Arkansas to start this week.

“We have a couple that I am taking to Oaklawn and I will be there all week,” he said. “I don't like hauling them this far, but it is going to be good to run against competition like this.”

Fincher is entering Perfect Dude (Majesticperfection)–who shifted from Vann Belvoir over to him in February–in Saturday's GIII Count Fleet S. It's a race which will feature Skelly (Practical Joke), who is making his first U.S. start since the gelding ran second in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia.

Making the some 900-mile trip to Oaklawn for the GI Apple Blossom S. is Flying Connection (Nyquist). Last year, the filly won the Island Fashion S. and then netted the Sunland Park Oaks, which earned her a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Oaks. She ran a game sixth in defeat that Friday.

“Perfect Dude is a fairly new acquisition, but I can tell he has a ton of talent and he is really quick out of the gate,” said Fincher. “I think Flying Connection has developed a real tactical advantage and she has really come far since last year when she just went straight to the front all the time.”

Flying Connection is co-owned by Brad King, Randy Andrews, Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis, which is the same group who invested in another Fincher-trained runner, Olivia Twist (Mshawish). Incidentally, King, Andrews, Cone and Lewis are a part of MSW Candy Aisle (Gun Runner), who was ninth in Oaklawn's GII Fantasy S. Mar. 30, and who Fincher will possibly send to the Valley of the Vapors S. Apr. 20.

A half-sister to MGSW/MGISP Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), Olivia Twist already made the trip to Hot Springs to join Candy Aisle and put in a six-panel work over the weekend. According to her trainer, the 4-year-old could be ready for the April 27 running of the Dig A Diamond S., but for now Fincher is taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to her next start.

Olivia Twist working with Cristian Torres aboard at Oaklawn | courtesy of Robert Yates

“She raced a ton starting as a 2-year-old,” he said. “I really think she needed a good rest and got it during the second half of last year. I really like the way she carries her weight and she's developed over the winter, she has continued to be aggressive in the mornings, so we'll see if that continues to translate to the afternoons.”

Olivia Twist started eight times from when she broke her maiden at Remington Park late in her juvenile year through last summer at Del Mar. The biggest puzzle for Fincher is to figure out what distance she wants.

“That will come,” he said.

In the interim, Todd Fincher has plenty more puzzles to solve as Saudi Arabia and Dubai are now firmly in the rearview mirror. The road to Oaklawn beckons, and that means it is an opportunity to develop some more bread and butter.

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Juddmonte Juggernaut! Laurel River Wins Dubai World Cup By An Imposing Margin

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — When the late Arrogate overcame a world of trouble to win the 2017 G1 Dubai World Cup, many racing fans said it was the best performance in the history of the race. To some, it rates right up there with some of the best performances ever seen.

It's entirely possible that Juddmonte's Laurel River (Into Mischief) managed to upstage him Saturday with an absolutely stunning, front-running tour-de-force in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan, a result that even those closest to him may not have anticipated.

Winner of the 2022 GII Pat O'Brien S.–where a horse called Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) was third–Laurel River was somewhat controversially withdrawn from that year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, a race for which he was likely to be favored. Sidelined for a spell, Juddmonte elected to transfer their homebred from Bob Baffert to the Dubai-based stable of leading trainer Bhupat Seemar in the summer of 2023.

To say things were off to an inauspicious beginning in the Emirates would be an understatement of monumental proportions. Laurel River faded tamely to finish seventh in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint on local debut in late January, but as disappointing as that effort was, he bounced back to post an equally emphatic 6 3/4-length victory in the G3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday to punch his ticket to World Cup night.

Conventional wisdom dictates that winning the Burj Nahaar leads to a start in the G2 Godolphin Mile over the same course and distance on the big night, but Seemar and the Juddmonte braintrust called an audible and routed the six-year-old to the G1 Dubai World Cup instead: a race 12 times as valuable, but incrementally more challenging on a few levels, not least the 2000-metre distance of the race. Additionally, the Godolphin Mile was likely to attract the speedy Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) and defending champion Isolate (Mark Valeski), and opting for the World Cup would eliminate the possibility of a suicidal pace duel.

“I feel like the 10 furlongs is a stretch for him, but that is a speed-favoring track and he might be the lone speed,” Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke told the TDN when World Cup plans were confirmed Mar. 7.

After drawing 12 of 12 at Wednesday's barrier draw at the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa, many would have further downgraded the chances of Laurel River, reasoning that a horse already questionable to see out the trip would have to go hard–perhaps too hard–in order to secure the front. After all, another speedball–Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})–had similar misfortune at the draw last year and dropped away to finish well down the field.

But there would be no such repeat Saturday evening, as Laurel River decisively surged into a clear lead with a half-mile to travel and went on to score by 8 1/2 lengths, the largest margin of victory in a World Cup at Meydan.

“I'm still coming to terms with what's happened,” Seemar said. “I think it'll probably sink in in another day or two. It's absolutely amazing. [Jockey] Tadhg [O'Shea] said this morning 'we're drawn 12, I'm not going to be two-minded about it, I'm going to go forward.'”

And go forward he did, sliding over to lead three off the inside with a circuit to travel as he had Military Law (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) for early company. As they turned towards the backstretch, Defunded (Dialed In) circled up so as not to sit wide the trip, and the two of them controlled the pace through the middle stages.

They put the better part of a half-dozen lengths on Dura Erede and the rail-skimming international favorite Kabirkhan (California Chrome) rounding the turn, and by the time Laurel River passed the 600-meter pole, it was really all over but the shouting. Showing no signs of stopping as he hit the top of the lane, Laurel River opened up by perhaps as many as 10 lengths  and jogged it in from there.

Senor Buscador got first run on defending champion Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), but was run down on the wire for second while adding another $1.2 million to his $10-million grab in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 24.

“He brings it every time, he ran a really good race,” said trainer Todd Fincher. “He might have started his run a little early trying to catch Laurel River and maybe that cost us a placing. Hats off to Laurel River, he freaked on everybody there.”

Of the winner, Seemar added, “”He's got so much natural pace. He comes out of the gate and this is why we ran him over six furlongs [in the Al Shindagha].

“Tadhg was able to get some easy fractions and then I saw Defunded coming on his outside but he just kept on going further. I expected to see all the closers flying at him but he kept going.”

For the better part of two decades, O'Shea has pounded the pavement on the Emirates Racing Authority, and he was basking in the afterglow of his Saturday achievements. He also guided Tuz (Oxbow) to an open-lengths success in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, his second in three years after missing by a nostril with defending champion Switzerland in 2023.

“I've been fortunate enough to have had Dubai World Cup night winners but you don't get many opportunities and I'm going to be forever grateful to Juddmonte for keeping me on the horse, they could use anyone and they're a worldwide operation that's really successful,” said O'Shea.

“When he had his first run for the stable, we thought he'd disappointed, but we never lost faith. He was explosive last time and I said the other morning to Bhupat, I pulled him aside and said I'd never ridden a horse with his ability ever. And he'd just done an easy work on his own.

“With the dirt you can't be half-hearted, you have to go forward. If he didn't stay, he didn't stay. We were aware of that. The main thing that won the race, it's easy to say when you win, but I was able to keep filling him up and filling him up.”

Kabirkhan sat a good inside trip, but failed to go on in the lane and finished eighth, beaten over 18 lengths.

“He was beaten a long way out,” commented his jockey Pat Dobbs. “I knew leaving the back straight he wasn't the same horse as before.”

Of the remaining Americans, Newgate (Into Mischief), Crupi (Curlin) and Clapton (Brethren) finished a distant eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

Pedigree Notes:

Laurel River is the 20th Grade I winner for Into Mischief and is bred on the same cross over Empire Maker responsible for 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun, while other top-level winners from Fappiano-line mares include champion Covfeve, Gina Romantica, Doppelganger and Atone. Additional stakes winners by Into Mischief out of Empire Maker dams include Grade III scorers Occult and Center Aisle and Juddmonte's late Taraz.

On paper, Laurel River is bred to stay the mile and quarter and perhaps further, as his first two dams are by Belmont S. winners. Juddmonte purchased Laurel River's second dam Soothing Touch for $550,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September sale, and while she didn't work out as a racemare, she's excelled in the breeding shed.

The mare is the dam of six winners from 10 to race, including her first foal Emollient (Empire Maker), victorious in the 2013 GI Central Bank Ashland S. and the Juddmonte-sponsored GI Spinster, and her four winners as a broodmare include G2 Prix de Malleret winner Raclette (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and French listed winner Ardent (Frankel {GB}).  Soothing Touch has also accounted for Hofburg (Tapit), a stakes winner and third in the GI Belmont S; and stakes winner Courtier (Tapit).

The second foal from Soothing Touch, Laurel River has a 2-year-old half-sister by Constitution, a yearling half-brother by that son of Tapit and produced a full-sister to Laurel River four days after his victory in the Burj Nahaar.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI WORLD CUP SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE-G1, AED12,000,000, Meydan, 3-30, 3yo/up, 10f, 2:02.31, fs.
1–LAUREL RIVER, 126, h, 6, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Calm Water, by Empire Maker
                2nd Dam: Soothing Touch, by Touch Gold
                3rd Dam: Glia, by A.P. Indy
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc
(KY); T-Bhupat Seemar; J-Tadhg O'Shea. $6,960,000. Lifetime
Record: GSW-US, 10-6-1-0-1, $7,470,676. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ushba Tesoro (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Orfevre (Jpn)–Millefeui Attach
(Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). (¥25,000,000 Wlg '17
JRHAJUL). O-Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co Ltd; B-Chiyoda Farm
Shizunai (JPN); T-Noboru Takagi. $2,400,000.
3–Senor Buscador, 126, h, 6, Mineshaft–Rose's Desert, by
Desert God. O-Sharaf Mohammed Al Hariri & Joe R Peacock Jr;
B-Joe Peacock Sr & Joe Peacock Jr (KY); T-Todd W Fincher.
$1,200,000.
Margins: 8HF, NK, 4 3/4.
Also Ran: Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), Dura Erede (Jpn), Derma Sotogake (Jpn), Defunded, Kabirkhan, Newgate, Crupi, Clapton, Military Law (GB). Click for the ERA chart & video.

 

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Senor Buscador Leads American Challenge On Dubai World Cup Night

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — The 28th running of the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup is set for Saturday at sprawling Meydan Racecourse and has attracted an internationally flavored field of 12, a third of which are based in various parts of the U.S.

Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) will attempt to make history as the first to sweep the 'Desert Double,' having caused a surprise when just touching off the re-opposing World Cup champion Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) 600 miles to the west of here in the G1 Saudi Cup five weeks ago.

Newgate (Into Mischief), one of two in the race for his all-conquering sire alongside Juddmonte's stretching-out Laurel River, exits a victory in the GI Santa Anita H. and goes out for the team of trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Frankie Dettori, successful with Country Grammer (Tonalist) in 2022. The progressive Crupi, a son of 2008 World Cup hero Curlin, and Grade II winner Clapton (Brethren) round out the quartet.

American horses have won 13 of the 27 previous runnings of the World Cup.

Sibelius (Not This Time) will look to join Caller One and Mind Your Biscuits as back-to-back winners of the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, a 1200-meter dash that has also attracted GI Breeders' Cup Sprint third Nakatomi (Firing Line); Bold Journey (Hard Spun), the GIII Fall Highweight H. winner and third in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint; Run Classic (Runhappy); and Hopkins (Quality Road), third after setting the pace last year.

Saudi Cup third Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) is down in trip and should jump as the favorite for the G2 Godolphin Mile, where he is joined by his compatriots Two Rivers Over–whose sire Tamarkuz took the 2015 Mile–and Caramel Chip (Midshipman).

There is a single American representative in each of three of the remaining five Thoroughbred races Saturday evening. Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) will look to improve on a troubled fifth in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in 2022, while the striking Catnip (Kitten's Joy) takes on some of the world's best in the G1 Dubai Turf. New York-bred Pandagate (Arrogate), whose sire was spectacular in winning the 2017 World Cup, will try to earn points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the G2 UAE Derby.

Previews for all eight races will appear in TDN Europe.

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Dozen To Do Battle In Dubai World Cup

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — Twelve of the world's top middle-distance dirt horses representing a half-dozen racing nations will clash in Saturday's $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at sprawling Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

The fields and post positions for the evening's four non-Group 1 races–including the Dubai Kahayla Classic for the Purebred Arabians–were announced Monday, while stalls for the five elite-level contests were allotted during a ceremony Wednesday evening emceed by Rishi Persad and Laura King at the Armani Hotel at the iconic Burj Khalifa in Central Dubai.

Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) will look to join Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) as the only two-time winners of the World Cup, and his trainer Noboru Takagi was first to the stage, where he selected barrier five. The 7-year-old had gate eight a year ago and was off to an awkward start before steaming home to peg back Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) close to home. The commonly owned Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), second to Ushba Tesoro in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten over the World Cup distance in December, drew 11.

Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) ran down Ushba Tesoro in the final jump of the G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh five weeks ago, and the two square off for the third time at the weekend. The likeable 6-year-old was represented on stage by trainer Todd Fincher and co-owner Joe Peacock Jnr looked on as Senor Buscador was assigned barrier 10.

Last year's G2 UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) was at a fitness disadvantage when a sound fifth in Riyadh first-up for better than four months and figures to have come on for that reappearance. He will begin from stall eight.

Kazakh-owned Kabirkhan (California Chrome) will look to complete a fairy-tale season while trying to emulate his World Cup-winning stallion Saturday evening. Purchased for the bargain price of $12,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, the chestnut will break from post position two for jockey Pat Dobbs and trainer Doug Watson.

Trainer Bob Baffert and Frankie Dettori teamed to take out the 2022 World Cup with Country Grammer (Tonalist) and will look for history to repeat itself with Newgate (Into Mischief) from the six hole. He exits a victory in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 2.

Juddmonte Farms' Laurel River (Into Mischief) ran up the score in the G3 Burj Nahaar over 1600 metres on Super Saturday Mar. 2, but sensing that it could be a paceless renewal of the World Cup, connections have rolled the dice. He will have to be on his best behaviour, as any misstep from the widest stall in 12 could prove his undoing.

In the other Group 1 tests:

  • Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has drawn seven and Japanese Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) nine for the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, where 10 Group 1 winners from eight nations vie for a $6-million pot.

 

  • Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will go for a fourth straight $5-million G1 Dubai Turf from gate 11, with Japan's Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in five, Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) drawn three and stablemate Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out in 16.

 

  • Defending champion Sibelius (Not This Time) has gate six for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen where he faces G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint hero Remake (Jpn) (Lani), Bold Journey (Hard Spun), a late-on-the-scene third in the same race, and the capable locals Mouheeb (Flatter) and Tuz (Oxbow).

 

  • Hong Kong's California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) will start from gate five in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint against the smart 3-year-old filly Frost At Dawn (Frosted), the veteran Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) and defending champion Danyah (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}.

 

The full field for the 2024 Dubai World Cup:

1 (7) Clapton (Brethren)

2 (1) Crupi (Curlin)

3 (9) Defunded (Dialed In)

4 (8) Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits)

5 (3) Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn})

6 (2) Kabirkhan (California Chrome)

7 (12) Laurel River (Into Mischief)

8 (4) Military Law (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})

9 (6) Newgate (Into Mischief)

10 (10) Senor Buscador (Mineshaft)

11 (5) Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn})

12 (11) Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn})

 

 

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