Racing Dudes Three Stars of the Week: New Derby Prospect Emerge

The final “slow” weekend before things kick back into high gear still had its share of excitement, especially with the running of the final two Kentucky Derby (G1) preps before the crop turns 3. Did a new Derby prospect emerge? See who made our latest Three Stars of the Week:

1. Senor Buscador

In hindsight, maybe his 15/1 morning line wasn’t the best guess, because we weren’t the only ones who loved him to win Friday’s Springboard Mile Stakes at Remington Park. The Joe Peacock homebred lingered at the rear after breaking slowly, but it didn’t matter. He kicked into high gear entering the far turn, circling the field, and drew off in the stretch. Because the Kentucky Derby points system is made invalid if a horse runs on Lasix (which Senor Buscador did), he didn’t earn the 10 points offered, but this Todd Fincher trainee was still a serious winner and one to watch in 2021.

2. Sleepy Eyes Todd

Sleepy Eyes Todd is making his name as a sprinter to watch as we move into 2021 following his second straight victory, this time in Saturday’s Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. He also won the Lafayette Stakes on the Breeders’ Cup Saturday undercard and will try stretching back out in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) a month from now.

3. Backsideofthemoon

This veteran keeps on churning, even at the age of 8, with his second career stakes victory in Saturday’s Queens County at Aqueduct. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez claimed him back for $62.5k in September after losing him for $100k almost a year prior and his victory kicked off a fruitful 30 minutes for owner Repole Stable, who then won the Via Borghese Stakes at Gulfstream Park with Always Shopping not long after.