Senor Buscador Eyes Start in Pegasus

Joe R. Peacock Jr.'s multiple graded stakes-winner Senor Buscador  will be pointed to the Jan. 27 $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park following his runner-up finish in Saturday's Cigar Mile Handicap (G2).

Trained by Todd Fincher and piloted by Junior Alvarado, the connections hoped the 5-year-old son of Mineshaft would utilize a more close-up approach as he did when taking last year's Ack Ack Stakes (G3) traveling a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs.

Instead, Senor Buscador reverted to the deep-closing tactics that saw him win the San Diego Handicap (G2) in July and that he repeated through three follow-up efforts in grade 1 events including a seventh-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

"He does what he wants to do. Junior tried to let him run away from there, but he just took himself out of it," Fincher said. "There's not a whole lot you can do about that.

"Hoist the Gold is also a great horse and he ran a great race himself. He was on the better side of the bias but you have to give him credit, he ran a great race."

Fincher said Senor Buscador exited the race in good order and is en route to Gulfstream Park.

"He ate all his dinner last night and jumped on a van to Gulfstream. We're planning for the Pegasus," Fincher said of the talented bay, who has now banked $923,427 through a 16-6-1-2 record.