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| Staff Writer |
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Preparations are ramping up for the world’s most lucrative horse race, the Saudi Cup.
Carrying an astonishing purse of US$20,000,000, the winner of the Saudi Cup will net a cool US$10,000,000. A life-changing sum for jockeys, trainers and owners, it’s no surprise that the race attracts some of the best horses from America, Japan, Australia, Great Britain and Ireland.
Set to form a part of a formidable American contingent that will head over for the race is recent Pegasus World Cup runner-up Senor Buscador.
A multiple-graded winner, Senor Buscador is now six and seems to have his best days ahead of him.
Yet to break his Grade One maiden, he came ever so close when just denied in the 2024 Pegasus World Cup, and a repeat of that performance could see him play a major role in the richest race of them all.
Trained by Todd Fincher and owned by Joey Peacock, it will mark the first time that either owner or trainer will saddle a horse in the world’s richest race, and it’s fair to say there is much excitement ahead of their trip.
Joey Peacock’s Road to the top of the American thoroughbred scene has been one of patience and dedication.
Having made his money in the Texas oil scene, Peacock has gained a reputation for acting decisively, and that is certainly the case with his mare Rose’s Desert.
Handed into the care of Todd Fincher when starting her professional racing career, she was a brilliant stakes-winning mare who could win ten times and accrued over $600,000 in prize money.
However, it’s been as a broodmare where Rose’s Desert has come into her own. Having already bred Graded Stakes winner Runaway Ghost, the latest superstar she has reared is Senor Buscador.
Peacock explains Senor Buscador’s lineage, saying, ‘He’s a third generation homebred for us. We bred his mother and his grandmother. We own his mother, Rose’s Desert, and we own all of his brothers and sisters. We have never sold any of them.’
Now 16 and with her racing days long behind her, Rose’s Desert still maintains a special place in Peacock’s heart.
‘She’s great. She’s just turned 16YO. She lives at Shawhan Place in Kentucky and just has a wonderful disposition. She’s just a gift that keeps on giving, and we couldn’t be more proud of her.’
Despite Rose’s Desert’s talents, in order to produce champion racehorses, it takes two to tango, and when looking to find the perfect mating companion for Rose’s Desert, Peacock and his team look into various factors.
One of his most trusted methods is Gr.1 Goldmine 20/20 matching. ‘Rose’s Desert was a 20/20 match with Mineshaft. We like to race our horses on dirt, and we want our horses to run at the highest level, and that usually means being able to run over the Classics distance, so that was one of the things that attracted us to Mineshaft. He competed over the Classic distances; he had the stamina to do it; and here we are.’
Mineshaft is Senor Buscador’s sire, and he is one of America’s most respected stallions. Named American Horse of the Year back in 2003, he has sired multiple Group one winners, but Senor Buscador could eclipse them all. '
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Although just denied in the Pegasus World Cup, it could be argued that his second-place finish was the best run of Senor Buscador’s career. Following that fine effort, expectations are high heading into the Saudi Cup.
Pleasingly for Peacock, Senor Buscador has come out of the Pegasus in fine fettle, and he appears ready for his next challenge.
‘He came out of the Pegasus great; he was happy. It was like he hadn’t even run the day before. He wasn’t tired, he was feisty, he came out of the race better than we could ever have hoped for.’
Losing the Pegasus by just a neck, hindsight can sometimes be a wonderful thing, but Peacock knows his horse well enough not to offer up any excuses. Asked if he would do anything different, Peacock’s answer is emphatic.
‘His running style just drives me crazy! He breaks and just let’s all of the other horses run off. He then gets into the race and starts picking off horses; the one thing about him is that if he runs his race, he will be flying at the end. Then it’s a case of how many horses can he catch.’
‘If I could change one thing about his running style, I would love to have him stay closer, so he doesn’t make it so hard on himself. We have tried that before, but he refuses to do it, so we let him do his thing and see what happens!’
In elite races like the Saudi Cup, where the field is of such a high quality, what can often make the difference for horses like Senor Buscador is how quickly they can settle into their new surroundings. Despite having never raced outside of America, Senor Buscador has travelled all over the States, and Peacock doesn’t envision any issues when his star touches down on Saudi soil.
‘He’s an excellent traveller. He’s never travelled internationally, but in the States, he has run at eleven different racetracks across nine different states. He’s well-travelled, he handles the travel great, so we don’t expect that to be any trouble whatsoever.’
By the time the Saudi Cup jumps off, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Senor Buscador positioned amongst the leading contenders. While he will have to beat some seriously talented horses, he has the class and capabilities to do it.
Depending on how he fares in the Saudi Cup, Senor Buscador’s Middle Eastern experience is set to continue onto the Dubai World Cup.
‘Our plan, as long as the horse is healthy, is to go from the Saudi Cup to the Dubai World Cup. This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which we are excited about. After the Dubai World Cup, he will return to the States.’
The fact that Senor Buscador is even lining up in Saudi Arabia is something beyond Peacock’s wildest dreams.
‘Our goal was always to race at the highest level in the U.S. We never thought we’d have the opportunity to go and race in the Middle East. It’s such an honour and a privilege, and we are so excited about it.’
After his Middle Eastern adventures, the plan is simple; to return back to the States to try and win a Grade 1 contest.
‘Our big goal this year is to get him a Group one win. He’s won a Group two, and he’s won a Group three, he’s placed second and third in Group one, but he hasn’t been able to capture that Grade 1 win, and we would really like that for his resume.’
One of the special things about Peacock’s operation is that there are plenty of horses to get excited about, and Peacock has no doubts that further success is coming.
‘We wholeheartedly believe in this bloodline. We bred Rose to Candy Ride, and they produced a filly called Eye Candy, who won on her debut, so we are very excited about her.
We have also bred with Hard Spun and got another filly, which we have named Rose A. She just turned two and is in training with Todd Fincher. We also have a yearling colt by Authentic heading off to Todd later this year, so it’s all very exciting. Rose’s Desert is due to foal a filly by Into Mischief later this spring.
It has taken time for Peacock’s operation to get off the ground, but his dedication to Rose’s Desert and belief in her breeding abilities seems to be coming to the fore.
Although he has had a string of winners, winning the Saudi Cup would help take Peacock’s program into the next stratosphere.
An American horse hasn’t won the world’s richest race since 2020, but Senor Buscador has a great chance of rewriting that script. If he helps turn Peacock’s dream into a reality, you would be hard-pushed to find a more popular and loved winner.