One of the special attractions of the inaugural California Crown day on Sunday (29 September) will be whether Senor Buscador can effectively express himself the only way he knows how and win the headline race, the G1 California Crown Stakes (1800m, dirt) at Santa Anita.
Trained by Todd Fincher in the US racing backwater of New Mexico and the mount on Sunday of Joseph Talamo, Senor Buscador easily tops a classy field for career earnings, bagging US$12.7 million after his thrilling victory in February's G1 Saudi Cup (1800m), currently the world's richest horserace.
Owner Joey Peacock describes Senor Buscador's unique running style: "Ever since his very first race as a two-year-old he goes straight to the back, gets comfortable and when he gets running, it's just a case of how many he can catch. It's exciting for sure."
Those supporting three Bob Baffert-trained contenders – Group 1 winners National Treasure, Muth and Newgate – might not want fast fractions to play into the hands of Senor Buscador, but National Treasure (Flavien Prat) and Muth (Juan Hernandez) are both brilliant speed horses so tactics are going to be interesting to say the least.
An aggressive strategy saw National Treasure win Pimlico's G1 Preakness Stakes in May 2023 but he has been climbing even higher up the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings this year and, in a scintillating finish, Prat kept him a neck in front of Senor Buscador in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (1800m, dirt) at Gulfstream Park in January.
Muth was an elite two-year-old last year and his upward curve in 2024 is just as impressive. He was a decisive winner of the G1 Arkansas Derby (1800m) at Oaklawn Park in March, then sidelined before returning early this month to prep for this when smoothly bossing his rivals at Del Mar.
In the seven-runner field he will probably be kept wide as emerging star jockey and regular rider Hernandez says of the colt: "When Muth gets close to other horses he gets really aggressive."
Gold Phoenix (Kyle Frey) is a Group 1 winner and late last month narrowly landed the G2 Del Mar Handicap for the third consecutive year. But he will need to upgrade on a modest effort in this race last year and must engage with stern opposition in the 2000m John Henry Turf Championship. This Group 2 is expected to include all five that finished behind him in that 31 August encounter – headed by possible pace-setter Dicey Mo Chara. Also interesting is Divin Propos, an Antonio Fresu-ridden improving gelding who looks to keep trying when pressure is applied and is yet to run a bad race.
