Great Warrior was a ton the best in the $50,000 Pomona Derby at Fairplex Park on Sept. 24. With Omar Berrio aboard, Great Warrior was three-wide early, but quickly advanced on the turn and into the stretch, and was four lengths in front of 6/5 Uncle Sam (Gr. II SP son of Tapit) after a mile and a sixteenth in 1:46.26, picking up the first prize of $28,000. In his previous start, the colt missed by a short nose after making a strong stretch bid in the $100,000 El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar at odds of 2-1. Great Warrior's bank account swelled to $100,706 on a record of 2-5-2 in 11 tries.