Senor Buscador

The richest horse to ever start a career at Remington Park, Senor Buscador arrived to race in Oklahoma City only because he wasn’t getting an opportunity where he was training in New Mexico.

Trainer Todd Fincher and owner Joey Peacock, Jr. wanted to see what they had in the son of Mineshaft from the Desert God broodmare Rose’s Desert. They were not able to get him into a maiden race at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M. so they entered a 5-1/2 furlong maiden event at Remington Park. The distance was expected to be too short for the colt they believed could go much longer, lowering expectations for that career debut on Nov. 6, 2020.

After a slow start, expectations plummeted. Veteran jockey Luis Quinonez was patient aboard the 1,175lb. colt who fell 14 lengths behind the leaders as they reached the lone turn. Quinonez then let Senor Buscador make a bid to see what he could do. He quickly accelerated around the turn, making up massive ground with every stride. Entering the stretch six-wide, Senor Buscador rolled down the middle of the track and easily passed all rivals on his way to victory by 2-1/2 lengths.

Fincher and Peacock now had a confirmed belief that Senor Buscador was indeed talented, despite his inability to focus and a penchant for general orneriness. He earned the right to try the $200,000 Springboard Mile, the marquee 2-year-old stakes at Remington Park, and a Kentucky Derby-qualifying points race. Another slow beginning didn’t deter Senor Buscador and Quinonez as they fell 16 lengths behind as the field reached the backstretch. The pair started to move after they passed the half-mile pole, rocketing from last around all foes and gaining the lead in mid-stretch, drawing off to win by 5-3/4 lengths. The sky was the limit for Senor Buscador.

Greatness would be put on hold after Senor Buscador suffered a minor suspensory injury in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds in his first race at age three. Minor surgery corrected that issue but then Senor Buscador developed an infected hock. Only time would heal the infection and Fincher noted the colt was fortunate to live through the setback.

After nearly 1-1/2 years, Senor Buscador returned to action as a 4-year-old, winning an allowance race at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas in July 2022. For the remainder of his career, Senor Buscador would only start in stakes races, all but one of them graded. Victory in the Grade 3 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. in October 2022 signaled that Senor Buscador was ready to take on the best in racing.

Always running from last in the pack was the style that Senor Buscador had chosen for himself, and the instructions Fincher provided all jockeys was to wait as long as possible before beginning a gaining run. After a furious rally in the 2024 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Senor Buscador finished second beaten only a neck to National Treasure. Phone calls came into Peacock before Senor Buscador had been pulled up to a stop from his Pegasus effort. The official invite to compete in the world’s richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia was on the table.

The long one-turn 1-1/8 mile Saudi Cup on Feb. 24, 2024 was the crowning achievement for Senor Buscador. His famous rally from last worked to perfection as he won by a head with the official chart comment saying “took lead last stride.” Junior Alvarado was up for the triumph worth $10 million for the connections of Senor Buscador.

The Saudi Cup would be the final win for Senor Buscador. He finished third the following month in the $12 million Dubai Cup for his last in-the-money effort. He was retired after a flat ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in December, after a bad stumbling start.

Senor Buscador accumulated $12,944,427 in earnings, winning seven of 23 career starts, with two seconds and three thirds. In 2025, he moved on to his next chapter, a stallion career at Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.