Yulong Warrior wins Getaway Day Stakes

Yulong Warrior came from midpack to win the $100,000 Getaway Day Stakes for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs on Sunday. He paid $14.80 for his 1 1/4-length win over Weekend Wizard in the closing-day feature.

Trainer Doug O’Neill said before the race that he expected Yulong Warrior to be among the early leaders in the 1 1/16-mile race. However, he broke a step slowly, and Evin Roman was content to let him settle early while saving ground going around both turns.

Roman moved him off the rail turning for home, and Yulong Warrior took control of the race from Weekend Wizard in midstretch. Weekend Wizard sat just off Boundary Bay through a moderate half-mile of 47.36 seconds, took over the lead at the top of the stretch, but couldn’t hold off the winner. Boundary Bay held on to finish third. The favorite, Sippin Fire, didn’t fire while finishing fourth.

The final time was 1:40.61.

Yulong Warrior is based in California. Assistant trainer Leandro Mora saddled the Street Cry colt, who is owned by Yuesheng Zhang.

Yulong Warrior was coming off a fourth-place finish in the $100,000 Shared Belief at Del Mar on Aug. 25, his first start in North America. Earlier this year in Dubai, he won the $200,000 Al Bastakiya at Meydan.

“We thought he was going to be one, two, three early, but he broke a bit slow,” said Mora. “Evin did a smart move to get him to settle behind horses on the rail. He felt he had a lot of horse, and this time he wasn’t rank like he was at Del Mar. He ran some big races in Dubai, so we knew he had some talent.”

In the co-feature, Northwest Factor pulled off a huge upset in the $50,000 Gottstein Futurity. She paid $50.80 for her head win over Time ‘n Time Again in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds. With Gary Wales riding, Northwest Factor sat just off Mr. Frank, who set the pace, and got up to edge Time ‘n Time Again in deep stretch.

Time ‘n Time Again, who took over the lead turning for home, was placed last for drifting in and causing Frolic and Detour to stumble and lose her rider. Fuzzy Dolphin, who came from well back, was moved up to second. Mr. Frank was awarded third.

Frolic and Detour and Eswan Flores walked off the track. Flores came back to win the 10th race with Goldie’s Darlins.

The win by Northwest Factor was a nice consolation prize for owner How We Roll 4 and trainer Steve Bullock, who are the same connections of Sippin Fire.

The Gottstein Futurity was the final leg of an all-stakes pick four that paid $5,487.10

No Talking Back paid $10.80 for her win in the $25,000 Fan Appreciation Day Stakes for fillies and mares.

Hit the Beach paid $26 for his win in the $25,000 Pete Petersen for 3-year-olds and up. It was a good weekend for nonagenarians, as 91-year-old trainer Hilbern Mullins trains Hit the Beach. On Friday night, Trelawny gave 90-year-old trainer Bob Meeking his eighth win at the meet. The 11-year-old Florida-bred paid $9.