Hustle Up romps in Casino at the Downs Derby as he stretches back out

Hustle Up stretched back out around two turns Saturday night at the Downs at Albuquerque and won the $90,000 Casino at the Downs Derby by 5 1/4 lengths over Quite Peace. It was another 5 3/4 lengths back in third to Sunscreen.

The Casino at the Downs Derby was a mile race restricted to 3-year-olds bred in New Mexico.

Hustle Up ($6) was making his second start off a layoff, and on the stretch out from 5 1/2 furlongs set the pace Saturday. He was unchallenged through an opening quarter in 24.26 seconds, a half-mile in 46.57, and six furlongs in 1:10.53. In the late stages he was in hand under jockey Roimes Chirinos, covering the distance on a fast track in 1:36.67.

Chirinos was aboard for trainer Todd Fincher.

Hustle Up put up his best career Beyer Speed Figure, an 83, at two turns in February, when he won the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby over open company at Sunland. He was freshened this spring following a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Park Derby in March.

Hustle Up is now 9 for 13, with six of his wins coming in stakes. He has earned $425,143. Hustle Up is owned by the partnership of Dale F. Taylor Racing, Bobby McQueen, and Suzanne Kirby. He is by the Pulpit stallion Abstraction and was bred by Fincher and Brad King.