Pegasus Runner-Up Senor Buscador Likely for Saudi Cup

Joe Peacock Jr.'s Senor Buscador , beaten a neck by National Treasure  after a gallant late rally in the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park, has been invited to the Feb. 25 Saudi Cup (G1) following his strong effort.

"I think it's a great opportunity, so as long as the horse is doing well, we'll probably head that way," trainer Todd Fincher said Jan. 28.

Senor Buscador, who was coming off a fast-closing second behind Hoist the Gold  in the Dec. 2 Cigar Mile Stakes (G2) in his prior start, finished 4 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Crupi  in the Pegasus.

"He ran a great race. Those two horses separated from the field by quite a large margin. They proved themselves to be two very nice grade 1 horses," Fincher said. "We ran a great race. We just came up on the losing end. We just needed a few jumps."

The 6-year-old son of Mineshaft   has won multiple graded stakes, including last year's San Diego Handicap (G2), and earned multiple graded-stakes placings with his drop-back, run-late style. He closed from eleventh to second in the Pegasus.

"From Day 1 when we started to run him, he just had that running style. We tried to keep him closer, and he just refuses, so we just let him be," Fincher said. "He just gets better and better as time goes by."