Horse Racing NW

Sunday is Italian Day at Emerald Downs! Italian food, music, beer and drinks are the fare along with Tony LaStella, the Sorelli’s Pizza Eating Contest and a bocce ball tourney. Saturday has $1 specials all around the track including hot dogs, popcorn, ice cream, soda pop, doughnuts and muffins. First race on Saturday and Sunday goes at 1:30. The theme this week on “Horseracing NW,” is lifelong car...

Saturday is Ladies Day at Emerald Downs! Free admission for all gals with beverage specials and prize drawings, too. Sunday is Wiener Dog day, the canines that began the trend of entertainment between Thoroughbred races. Speaking of Thoroughbreds, take a look at the racing at Emerald Downs scheduled for this weekend, much great action headed by the first two Washington Cup events on Sunday. More M...

The Mile was memorable! The 89th Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs provided the highest level of drama for a Thoroughbred horse race. Five Star General brought back a great story and delivered even more by edging Clovisconnection right on the wire. Five Star General became the just the fourth back-to-back winner in race history. Winning owner Ken Alhadeff joins Joe and Vince to recap a great day at...

Make plans to be at Emerald Downs Sunday for the 89th running of the Longacres Mile! This year’s race features the past two winners – Five Star General (2023) and Slew’s Tiz Whiz (2022) among the full gate of 12 middle distance specialists. The Mile goes as race nine at approximately 6 pm. The Mile is the final leg in an all-stakes Pick-4 wager. John Lindley of Parker’s joins Joe and Vince to go o...

It’s just over a week to the 89th Longacres Mile and that’s a prominent subject on this week’s Horse Racing NW. The past two Mile winners are expected to race – Slew’s Tiz Whiz from 2022 and Five Star General from last year. Special events such as “Breakfast At the Wire,” “The Railbird Rally” and “Dancing at the Downs,” are all upcoming this month at Emerald Downs. Go to emeralddowns.com for more...

Fiesta Premio Esmeralda, the highly popular Hispanic summer festival, highlights Saturday and Sunday at Emerald Downs! Lots of fans expected and the dancing horses kick things off on track at 12:30 each day. “Breakfast At the Wire,” morning workout show starts its three Saturday run this week – 8-10 am on Track Level, hosted by Dean Mazzuca. This ‘cast recaps last weekend’s exciting stakes activit...

A busy weekend at Emerald Downs is topped by a stakes doubleheader! Saturday is the 6 1/2 furlong Irish Day Stakes featuring Miner League, who’s on a four-race winning streak, including the June 16 Auburn Stakes. Miner League meets Whiskeyjack for the first time, who was an impressive allowance winner here July 3. Sunday, 11 three-year-old fillies meet in the Kent Stakes, also at 6 1/2 furlongs. A...

Happy Fourth of July from Emerald Downs! Racing resumes this Saturday and Sunday with two-year-old stakes Angie C. and King County Express respectively. We’re just five weekends away from the 89th running of the Longacres Mile and defending champion Five Star General is in action this Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Five Star General is expected to defend his Mile title vs the likes of 2022 he...

The annual Fireworks Spectacular is right around the corner! Emerald Downs presents its July 3 evening of entertainment with Thoroughbred racing at 5 pm followed by a tremendous fireworks show afterward. Tickets are still available at emeralddowns.com or through Customer Service at 253-288-7711. Don’t miss the fantastic show, Wednesday, July 3! Top northwest handicapper John Lindley joins Joe and...

Many of the track’s top horses are in action this weekend as Emerald Downs presents the Hastings and Budweiser Stakes at six furlongs. Blazingbellablu tops entrants in Saturday’s Hastings for fillies and mares. She’s been a Washington champion the past three years and won this race in 2023. Fantastic sprinter Aloha Breeze heads the competition, she the winner of two sprint stakes for three-year-ol...

It’s three days of great action coming up at Emerald Downs! As well as the Thoroughbreds Friday night and Saturday and Sunday afternoons, there’s Indian Relay Racing all weekend. It’s the Eighth Running of the Muckleshoot Gold Cup with several qualifying heats on Friday and Saturday and the Championships on Sunday. All the great Native culture, music and vendors too, to go along with the great act...

Emerald Downs has more top horses in action this weekend, the last week before stakes races begin on June 15/16. Sunday’s feature is stakes-quality fillies and mares at 6 furlongs and race #2 is the first two-year-old race of the season. Come out and watch and wager on all the great action from Saratoga on Saturday as that track hosts the Belmont Stakes and the fantastic supporting card. Simulcast...

Come out for our first Fab Friday! The traditional kickoff is this Friday, May 31, and of course there’s a T-Shirt for all attendees. First race at 7 pm. The T-Shirt is good for free admission on Fridays the rest of the season. It’s also Teachers Appreciation weekend at Emerald Downs. All teachers and school district employees get free admission this Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s race card has 7...

Memorial Day weekend offers Saturday and Sunday action at Emerald Downs, first race each day at 1:30. For fans, fill out the entry blank both days upon entering the track to be eligible for prizes in the “Great Outdoor Giveaway.” It’s also Teacher Appreciation weekend and area teachers and administrators will get their chance on the track in the first “Teacher’s Dash.” Jon White, nearing his induc...

Joe is a little under the weather, so Track President, Phil Ziegler, steps in to Co-Host with Vince. Trainer, Alexis Silva-Martinez, stops by to talk about Coastal Kid, who had an impressive win in the feature race last Sunday. Promotions Manager, Gary Dougherty, guests on the show to talk about all the promotions and special events this season. This Weekend is a Family Fun Weekend! Plenty of fun...

Double the action, double the good weather at Emerald Downs for Week #2! Two days of great racing coming up this Saturday and Sunday, May 11-12. It was a bit damp on Opening Day last Saturday but spectacular, summer-type weather is predicted for this weekend. Sunday is Mother’s Day and all women attendees are eligible for the traditional prize drawings. Fill out the free entry blank upon arriving....

Opening Day at Emerald Downs is this Saturday, May 4! It’s our 29th opener and the first race goes at 1:30 pm, gates open at 11 am. The Fifth Floor is open even earlier, 7 am, for simulcasting from Churchill Downs and elsewhere. Yes, Opening Day is Kentucky Derby day, too! Guests on the ‘cast are Jon White and Anthony Stabile and Joe and Vince couldn’t have better big-race handicappers. They’ll ma...

Penny breakage at Emerald Downs for 2024! Help for the horseplayer, more money returned on wagers through the breakage reduction from 0.10% to zero. A wager that paid $6.40 last year will pay up to $6.59 this year. Also, extremely low 8% takeout on Pick 6 and Pentafecta wagers. Opening Day is Saturday, May 4! Joe Bianca, from West Point Thoroughbreds and host of “Rail Talk” podcast, joins Joe and...

Come to Emerald Downs on Saturday and root for Lonesome Boy in the $750-k Wood Memorial at Aqueduct! Lonesome Boy is the first Washington-bred to race in the Wood since Smokin Mel finished third in 1997. John Parker, top owner at EmD in six of the past nine seasons, campaigns Lonesome Boy, a son of Nationhood. Parker and family will make the trip for the big event. The race goes at 1:05 pm, EmD ti...

Jockey Carlos Montalvo had an outstanding 2023, first season at Emerald Downs. He tied for leading stakes jockey with Jose Zunino, each with four added-money triumphs. Montalvo joins Joe and Vince and speaks to the challenges of coming to a new venue, first season successes, his travels as a race rider, family and more. There’s also news, Sports Shorts, trivia on Horseracing NW.

Tom Harris is back as Track Announcer at Emerald Downs! Harris, the always popular race caller, had the EmD job from 2018-21 and speaks to his long announcing history and return to Auburn. Jon White is also a guest, now as a new member in the Washington Thoroughbred Hall of Fame. White has worked in racing since 1974, the past 40+ in California, but has never forgotten his northwest roots. He’s be...

Winter and full card simulcasting at Emerald Downs go to together! The Fifth Floor is open seven days a week and tracks such as Aqueduct, Gulfstream, Laurel, Tampa Bay, Fair Grounds, Oaklawn, Santa Anita, Golden Gate, Turf Paradise and Turfway Park offer top action and big weekend stakes. The popular Quick Pix café is open 9 am to 6 pm on weekends. In the Thoroughbred world, breeding and foaling s...

Track President Phil Ziegler speaks to the upcoming Emerald Downs racing season, Opening Day scheduled for Saturday, May 4 (Kentucky Derby day). Ziegler, in his current position since the 2015 season, has overseen growth in many areas with innovative marketing ideas. Emerald Downs four-time leading trainer Jeff Metz is also a guest, he with a new position at Santa Anita. Sports Shorts and Trivia,...

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays from Horseracing NW! On Saturday night December 23, the Fifth Floor will be filled with music by a tribute group to “the world’s greatest rock ‘n roll band,” the Rolling Stones. Get your tickets early at emeralddowns.com. Full card simulcasting continues, seven days a week at Emerald Downs. Many top tracks in action this winter plus Santa Anita and Golden Gate begin...

Happy Thanksgiving from Emerald Downs! The 5t Floor is open this Holiday and you can enjoy a full Turkey Day meal for just $17.50 at Quick Pix. A turkey dinner with all the fixins’ including dessert. Also, there's full card simulcasting from top tracks such as Laurel, Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds, Del Mar, Golden Gate and Woodbine. WHRC Commissioner Doug Moore joins Joe and Vince on Horseracing N...