With 2025 kicking in, horse racing fans have a lot to look forward to. While the season is lengthy, the community’s anticipation for some G1 races is significantly greater. Indeed, the Pegasus World Cup Invitational on January 25 is the focus of many eyes. But why? Have you heard about the horses competing in the event? Their past accolades might ignite any horse racing fan’s desire to watch.

The grid is tight for the G1 race with big names locked in for the competition. However, a $12 million horse had to retire just before the event due to a decision made by its trainer, who had to make the call because the horse’s predictions weren’t looking good on paper. The community praised this particular decision, expressing their happiness for the horse whose trainer took its welfare into consideration.

A horse racing career never to be forgotten

So who is this horse that made the headlines? It’s Senor Buscador. If you’re an avid horse racing fan, you might be familiar with this name, as it has been racing since 2020. When he was just two years old, he made his debut at Remington Park and was immediately ahead of the pack. Senor Buscador was a prodigy, and he surely lived up to his name, as in the very first major race of his career, the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes, he placed first.

Until now, he rarely underperformed, but looking at his latest form, trainer Todd Fincher took a different decision. Senor Buscador has run plenty of G1 races in his career, including the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, 2023 Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes, 2023 Pacific Classic Stakes, 2023 Awesome Again Stakes, 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and the list continues. Last year, he also participated in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational, where he placed second, but right after it, he ran in the Saudi Cup to secure a glorious G1 victory.

However, in the last few races, Senor Buscador has struggled a lot, and that did become concerning for Fincher. As reported by Mike Welsch on X, he described the thoughts of the trainer, stating, “Senor Buscador, who finished 2nd in the 2024 Pegasus World Cup, will not participate as planned this year, according to trainer Todd Fincher, who said he wasn’t happy with the way his horse scoped after working this a.m., adding that Senor B will be retired to the breeding shed.” Every horse is run through a thorough check before any race, and it was something that concerned Fincher. 

Since the trainer didn’t want to risk the health of the equine, he decided to finally retire the 6-year-old, who had a prolific four years of horse racing under his belt. Jockey Joel Rosario has ridden the equine for two races and has formed a positive bond with him. However, the time has come for him to bid farewell to the renowned horse. Fincher made this decision for the animal’s welfare, and it touched the community, as they rallied behind him in support and bid their final farewell to the equine.

The community appreciated him for this kind gesture

Many wanted to see Senor Buscador run for a final time, but fate had something else planned for this renowned equine. However, if retiring early is a better choice for his health, then the community has nothing but adoration for the trainer, as one fan stated, “First I would like to say thank you for putting his welfare first, second I will miss seeing him run, I absolutely adore Senor Buscador, please keep us updated on him and good luck in your stud career Senor Buscador.” Similarly, another fan wrote, “A much deserved retirement! Very happy for the horse!”

While Senor Buscador won’t be available anymore, who are the other horses running in the G1 event? The audience at Gulfstream Park will be closely watching horses such as Mixto, Saudi Crown, Newgrange, White Abarrio, Crupi, Stronghold, Steal Sunshine, Vitality, Mystik Dan, and others. These majestic animals will be competing for a purse of $3 million, and the audience is eagerly anticipating the arrival of January 25.

This retirement update also hit many fans with nostalgia, as one recalled, stating, “I watch SB at Remington as a two year old. Not real often we get young horses coming thru who go on to have the career he did. Glad they’re being cautious with him and happy retirement!” Another fan stated, “Happy retirement SB.” This fan is just happy for the horse, stating, “Good news! He’s 7 now, very nice horse, he has done his best.”

The G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational will be one of the major first-grade races of the year 2025. Indeed, the upcoming season will be filled with numerous races featuring talented horses, including a few in their best form, for spectators to enjoy.