Mr. Hustle tops Attfield-trained exacta in Soaring Free Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Roger Attfield saddled the one-two finishers in Sunday’s $103,600 Soaring Free Stakes, in which Mr. Hustle was a comfortable winner over a closing Pleasecallmeback.

Mr. Hustle ($3.10) dueled up front with Barilko heading into the turn of the 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint, before the latter opened up a clear lead. Rafael Hernandez angled Mr. Hustle angled outside approaching the stretch, and they cruised by Barilko, hitting the eighth pole with a two-length cushion.

Mr. Hustle prevailed by 2 1/2 lengths over Pleasecallmeback, getting the distance in 1:15.20, over a course labeled as yielding. Cucina, Hombrazo, and Barilko competed the order of finish.

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“He’s a classy little horse,” Attfield said of Mr. Hustle. “He’s very professional. I walked the turf course this morning, and the inside is just a little bit softer than when you’re four or five [paths] off the fence. Raffie picked up on that yesterday. The rest of the course was very good.

“When he was training in Florida as a baby, he was always a little bit more shy when he was down inside. I said to Raffie that we need to get off that hedge a little bit, and he will be better if he can get to the outside. He rode him just perfectly.”

Now unbeaten in three starts, Mr. Hustle earned $60,000 for William Werner, who also owns the runner-up.

Attfield said the Mr. Hustle, a gelded son of Declaration of War, will run back in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes here on Sept. 15.