Hit the Beach, Fly Far Away get stakes victories

Hit the Beach came from a stalking position to win the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic at Emerald Downs on Sunday. He paid $18.20 for his 3 1/4-length win over Buckley Bay in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up bred or sired in Washington or British Columbia. The heavily favored Mike Man’s Gold dueled with Buckley Bay before fading in the stretch to finish fifth.

With Jose Zunino aboard, Hit the Beach was a under strong restraint while saving ground going into the first turn. On the backstretch, still under a strong hold, he sat just off Buckley Bay and Mike Man’s Gold, who dueled through interior fractions of 23.43 and 46.70 seconds.

Hit the Beach moved outside of the pair on the middle of the stretch turn and took control just past the eighth pole. After disposing of Mike Man’s Gold in midstretch, Buckley Bay held on well to finish second. Sequoia Bay rallied from last to finish a neck behind Buckley Bay.

The final time was 1:42.14.

“He was comfortable, and you could see I had a lot of horse under me,” said Zunino.

Hit the Beach is trained Hilbern Mullins, 91, who became the first trainer older than 90 to win a stakes race at Emerald. The 5-year-old son of Harbor the Gold is owned by Mullins, Ed Zenker, and Richard Larson.

In the co-feature, Fly Far Away rallied to edge Dontkissntell in the $50,000 Washington Cup Filly and Mare Stakes. She paid $20.60.

Ridden by Austin Solis, she saved ground until turning for home, where Solis wheeled her out to the middle of the track, and she made a strong move to win the 1 1/16-mile race by 1 1/4 lengths. Gazing finished third.

The final time was 1:43.06.

It was the first stakes win for Solis.

“Knocked one off the bucket list, and making dreams come true,” said Solis.

The 5-year-old homebred daughter of Pleasantly Perfect is owned by Todd and Shawn Hansen. Fly Far Away is trained by Blaine Wright, who won the five stakes races for fillies and mares at the meet with five different horses.