Mucho Gusto battles Anothertwistafate in Sunland Derby

The Kentucky Derby points parade makes a stop in New Mexico on Sunday for the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby, led by California shippers Mucho Gusto and Anothertwistafate, and local favorite Hustle Up.

The first four finishers will earn points on a scale of 50-20-10-5.

The Sunland Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, is being showcased on a 12-race program. There are seven stakes on the card, and those races are worth $1.5 million. The $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks drew Grade 1 winner Chasing Yesterday, who will attempt to give trainer Bob Baffert an eighth win in the Sunland Oaks, a points race for the Kentucky Oaks.

A four-time winner of the Sunland Derby, Baffert trains probable favorite Mucho Gusto, a multiple Grade 3 winner coming off a victory in the Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita. Anothertwistafate is looking for his fourth straight win on the heels of a victory in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate, while Hustle Up won the local Sunland Derby prep last month, the Mine That Bird.

Sunland Derby (Race 11)

KEY CONTENDERS

Mucho Gusto, by Mucho Macho Man
Last 3 Beyers: 90-88-86

◗ He starts from the rail under Joe Talamo, with Anothertwistafate to his immediate outside and Hustle Up one more stall over in gate 3.

“The post is horrible,” Baffert said. “The speed horses are 1, 2 and 3.

“I’ll tell him to send him. I think Santa Anita speed is a little different than Golden Gate speed.”

◗ Mucho Gusto is picking up a bit more ground following the 1 1/16-mile Lewis, a race he won by 4 3/4 lengths for owner Michael Lund Petersen.

Anothertwistafate, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 94-77-84

◗ He owns the field’s best career Beyer Figure, a 94, for his win at this distance in the El Camino Real Derby on Feb. 16. Juan Hernandez was aboard for the wire-to-wire score on a synthetic track and has the mount again Sunday.

“I think our horse will rate if he needs to rate,” said Blaine Wright, who trains Anothertwistafate for Peter Redekop.

◗ The El Camino Real was a breakout race for Anothertwistafate, who rolled by seven lengths following back-to-back wins in overnight route races in December and January. He earned a berth into the Preakness Stakes with his El Camino Real Derby win.

“You never expect to blow a field away like he did for a $100,000 purse,” Wright said. “At the same time, we thought we had a good horse. He showed what we thought he was capable of doing.”

◗ Anothertwistafate, who is unbeaten at two turns, is looking for his first dirt win. In his lone start on dirt he was ninth in a maiden special weight sprint at Santa Anita in his career debut in November.

“He’s a different horse,” Wright said. “I don’t think [dirt] will be an issue at all. I think he’ll run over it.”

Hustle Up, by Abstraction
Last 3 Beyers: 83-61-63

◗ He is 8 for 10 and looking for his fourth straight stakes victory Sunday. Hustle Up has won all of his races on the front end, and last out defeated open company over a 1 1/16 miles.

◗ For the Mine That Bird, trainer Todd Fincher added a set of screens to the headstrong Hustle Up to try and help him relax. He will wear screens again in the Sunland Derby.

“He’s doing really well,” Fincher said. “The problem with him still is he just wants to be in front. That’s his kryptonite. If somebody wants to go out there with him, they’re going to pay the price, along with us.

“I thought he did do a little better last time. It’s been a progression.”

◗ Fincher, who won last year’s Sunland Derby with Runaway Ghost, trains Hustle Up for Dale F. Taylor Racing, Bobby McQueen, and Suzanne Kirby. He has given the mount to Shane Laviolette.

Wicked Indeed, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 81-84-74

◗ He closed fast for second in the Mine That Bird Derby, finishing a length behind Hustle Up.

“He ran solid and it looks like more ground is going to be right up his alley,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Wicked Indeed for breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds.

◗ Asmussen, who won the Sunland Derby in 2017 with Hence and in 2012 with Daddy Nose Best, has given the mount to Luis Contreras.

◗ Wicked Indeed can take advantage if a pace war erupts, as can Florida shipper Cutting Humor and deep closer Pasamonte Man.

– additional reporting by Steve Andersen