Todd Fincher

Long And Winding Road Lands Senor Buscador On World Stage

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- To coin a phrase uttered by the actor John Houseman from the Smith Barney television commercials of the mid-1980s, Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) has really 'earrrrrned it' as he approaches his second straight appearance in an eight-figure horse race, Saturday's $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse. "Yeah. I mean, it's been pretty crazy," admits owner and breeder Joey Peacock, Jr. Peacock, a resident of San Antonio, and his family have been in the horse business for the better part of 5 1/2 decades, but...

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Shawhan Place Riding High After Memorable Weekend

What started out as a normal, busy Saturday in February at Shawhan Place quickly turned into an unforgettable day for the Paris-based farm when two horses foaled and raised at Shawhan celebrated breakout victories. First, fan favorite Senor Buscador (Mineshaft)--owned by Shawhan's longtime client Joey Peacock Jr.--won the $20 million G1 Saudi Cup. A few hours later Lemon Muffin (Collected) broke her maiden in the GIII Honeybee S. The entire Shawhan crew was ecstatic, but two team members in particular were especially over the moon. Let's start with Teddy Kuster,...

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Trainer Todd Fincher Joins the TDN Writers' Room

Trainer Todd Fincher joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to recap the win by Senor Buscador in the $20 million G1 Saudi Cup.

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Todd Fincher Joins TDN Writer's Room Podcast

Todd Fincher, a standout on the New Mexico circuit, picked the perfect time and place to pick up his first Grade I win. His stable star Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), who was overdue to collect a big win, got the job done in the GI Saudi Cup. With a purse of $20 million, it is the richest Thoroughbred race in the world. Fincher joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to discuss his popular horse, the reasons why he likes training in New Mexico, what are the prospects...

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Senor Buscador's Peacock Added Investor Before Saudi Cup, Two-Race Lease In Place Through Dubai World Cup

Just before the gate load in Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse, if you were an American race fan scouring the circling field looking for the customary light blue and neon green standard carried by Joe Peacock Jr.'s homebred MGSW Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), then you might have been left wondering. The banner wasn't there. That's because jockey Junior Alvarado was sporting royal blue and white aboard the eventual winner. Despite reporting by several Middle Eastern news outlets--namely Arab News and the Saudi Gazette--which either listed Peacock secondarily...

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Senor Campeon! Senor Buscador Takes A Dramatic Saudi Cup

After running home bravely to just miss reeling in National Treasure (Quality Road) in last month's $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., it did not take long for the human braintrust around Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) to accept an invitation to the world's richest race, the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup half a world away. And why not? The 6-year-old admittedly had a bit to find on form with each of his four fellow American participants, but it wasn't as if he'd been dreadful in defeat in those efforts. Not when...

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Senor Buscador Breezes In Advance Of Saudi Cup Start

GI Pegasus World Cup runner up Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) got in his final Gulfstream preparation Sunday ahead of an expected start in the G1 Saudi Cup. The release noted that the 6-year-old worked four furlongs in :50.41 under jockey Junior Alvarado who will be aboard the Todd Fincher runner for the Saudi Cup as well. "It went just the way Todd and I wanted," said Alvarado. "He went out there and stretched his legs. We wanted to keep him happy. He went around the track very happy, enjoying his workout...

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Wagering And Purse Records Fall At Zia Park's 2023 Meet

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...

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In a First, FTC Overturns HISA Whip Adjudication

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...

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Pacific Classic's Potential Field Grows To 10

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...

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The Chosen Vron Expected to Be Supplemented to Breeders' Cup

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...

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Senor Buscador Upsets San Diego

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 &...

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