Rich World Travelers Meet in California Crown

The seven older runners entered for the $1 million California Crown (G1) bring worldwide resumés to the Santa Anita Park race Sept. 28. In addition to Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador , the field includes Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner National Treasure  , Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Newgate , Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Muth , and Subsanador , a group 1 winner in Argentina and graded winner at Monmouth Park.

Along with that come hefty bankrolls. The field's total earnings exceed $21 million, much of that from Senor Buscador's rich payday in the Saudi Cup. But National Treasure has earned in excess of $5 million, while Muth is also a millionaire.

The California Crown becomes the second current Thoroughbred race in California with a seven-figure purse, following the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar. It is part of the new California Crown program at Santa Anita with significant purse increases for some of the existing stakes that have traditionally opened the track's fall meeting. Also on the card will be the $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf Championship (G2T) and $750,000 California Crown Eddie D. Stakes (G2T).

The California Crown, at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt for 3-year-olds and up, provides an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) as a "Win & You're In" event. Last year the race was called the Awesome Again Stakes and had a $300,000 purse. It began as the Goodwood Handicap in 1982. Five horses have won the race and gone on to win the Classic: Ferdinand  in 1987, Tiznow  in 2000, Pleasantly Perfect  in 2003, Mucho Macho Man   in 2013, and Accelerate  in 2018.

Senor Buscador ran in both races last year, finishing third in the Awesome Again and seventh in the Classic. He followed that with a world tour that yielded much better results. Second in the Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct, he was only a neck behind National Treasure in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. After his head victory in the Saudi Cup, he ran third in the Dubai World Cup (G1).

Trainer Todd Fincher gave the 6-year-old son of Mineshaft   a break after all the traveling, prepping him at seven furlongs in the Aug. 24 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar. Senor Buscador finished fourth behind top sprinters Raging Torrent , The Chosen Vron , and Big City Lights , trailing early and closing ground.

"He ran the same numbers he always runs on a speed-biased track with no pace," Fincher said the morning after the O'Brien. "He took himself to the back and had just an impossible mission. He galloped out great; just the circumstances weren't in his favor."

Senor Buscador, to be ridden by Joe Talamo from post 6, will face three from the always-tough Bob Baffert barn: 4-year-olds National Treasure and Newgate and 3-year-old Muth. The jockey power on the Baffert trio is also impressive: John Velazquez on Newgate from the rail, Flavien Prat on National Treasure from post 3, and Juan Hernandez on Muth from post 5.

National Treasure missed defeating Horse of the Year Cody's Wish   by only a nose in last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). He followed that with his win over Senor Buscador in the Pegasus Cup and a fourth in the Saudi Cup. The son of Quality Road   turned in one of his finest performances in the June 8 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Saratoga, scoring by 6 1/4 lengths, with 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio  in the beaten field. On a muddy track, National Treasure ran sixth in the Whitney Stakes (G1).

Muth hasn't lost since a second in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). The son of Good Magic   daylighted fields in the San Vicente Stakes (G2), Arkansas Derby (G1), and Shared Belief Stakes.

Newgate last ran when unplaced in the March 30 Dubai World Cup. Prior to that he had a string of firsts and seconds dating to the end of his 2-year-old season. Those included his head win over Subsanador in the Santa Anita Handicap.

Richard Mandella, who pulled off the double with Pleasantly Perfect in 2003, the year he won four Breeders' Cup events in one day, trains Subsanador. A 5-year-old son of Fortify , Subsanador has made two starts for Mandella—a fourth in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) and his win in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park. Mike Smith rode Subsanador for the first time in the Iselin and is back aboard from post 2.

Katonah  (Tiago Pereira, post 4) and Indispensable  (Hector Berrios, post 7) round out the field. In two starts after a year's layoff, Katonah ran second in the San Diego Handicap (G2) and seventh in the Pacific Classic. Indispensable finished second to Muth in the Shared Belief after breaking his maiden in his ninth start.