Horse Racing NW

Emerald Downs is ready for Breeders’ Cup simulcasting, this Friday and Saturday, November 3-4. Gates open on Friday at 8:30 am, Saturday at 8:00 am. The 5th floor is first come-first served as far as seating, so get here early. Watch and wager on the 40th running of the Breeders’ Cup, a truly world-wide competition consisting of 14 races over the two days. It’s free admission at Emerald Downs and...

The 40th Breeders’ Cup is just around the corner, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita. Seating on the Fifth Floor at Emerald Downs, each day, is first come-first served. Do the Cup in style this year. The 6th Floor Suites are available for a minimum $1,000, including amenities. Get your group together and call Emerald Downs Group Sales at 253-288-7700. Matt Dinerman’s first job as Track A...

Emerald Downs concluded the 2023 season on a high note last Sunday, September 17, and Joe and Vince recap the action that decided several season-ending honors including Slew’s Tiz Whiz earning his second consecutive Horse of the Meeting title. Thanks to all who made the year memorable – the fans and handicappers, the horsemen and their grooms, EmD staff and officials and, of course the horses! Tra...

It’s Closing weekend at Emerald Downs this Saturday and Sunday, September 16-17. The season that began on May 6 concludes early Sunday evening after an 11-race card that will decide many honorees among horse and human participants. Categories in the balance are Horse of the Meeting, Older Filly/Mare, both Juvenile sex divisions and Top Washington-bred. The three stakes on Sunday – Washington Cup F...

Fan Appreciation Day this Sunday! Free admission for all on Sunday Sept. 10 at Emerald Downs. Add to that, numerous food and beverage specials at concession stands and bars. Racing Saturday, too, starting at 5 pm. That’s also the schedule for closing week, Sept. 16-17 – 5 pm Saturday and 2 pm Sunday. Trainer Blaine Wright and Turf Writer Paul Beattie join Joe, Vince and Bill this week on the podca...

September has arrived and the EmD schedule is Saturday-Sunday for the final three weekends of live racing. This Sunday, Sept. 3, is “Italian Day” with the usual Italian music, dancing, food/beverage and the popular Sorelli Pizza Eating Contest. Sorelli’s owner/operator Kelly Dougan joins Joe, Vince and Bill – talking pizza and horse racing. Prominent breeder/owner Keith Swagerty joins the crew to...

More great racing and entertainment this weekend at Emerald Downs! It’s our final Fab Friday, August 25, with its food/beverage specials and horseshoe toss sponsored by the Seattle T-Birds and KJR radio. Sunday offers two Washington Cup stakes races – one for juvenile colts/geldings, the other for two-year-old fillies. And, Sunday is Wiener Dog Day at the races – the doggies that started it all! J...

A memorable “Mile Day” is followed this weekend with three days of racing, including the meet’s two Quarter Horse stakes races. Plus, Sunday is “T-Rex Day” at the track. EmD is on a historical mission to find the top T-Rex runner going back tens of thousands of years! There’s going to be several heats, a championship dash and a T-Rex kids race too. All T-Rex’s get in free on Sunday. WTBOA Presiden...

The race of the year is Sunday at Emerald Downs, the $150,000 Longacres Mile! Defending champion Slew’s Tiz Whiz is the morning-line favorite at 9/5 over Five Star General at 2-1. Friday night racing at 7 pm while Saturday begins just after 5 pm with the 2023 Washington Hall of Fame ceremony preceding racing. “Groove Nation” performs on the fifth floor after racing on Saturday. The traditional “Ra...

August has arrived and Emerald Downs is just over a week away from the 88th Longacres Mile! It’s Championship Sunday on August 13 with $150,000 Mile and three other $50,000 stakes – Emerald Distaff, Muckleshoot Derby and Washington Oaks. This Sunday, the track’s top juveniles are in action in the $50,000 WTBOA Lads and Lassies, for colt and fillies respectively. This weekend, enjoy a trip back in...

The Longacres Mile is just three weeks away and further positioning for local starters happens this Sunday in the Governor’s Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs. Defending champion Slew’s Tiz Whiz is back after a furious runner-up finish in his seasonal debut June 25. Bridleuptothebar won that Budweiser stakes last month and he’s back along with eight others. It’s a stakes doubleheader that includes the Wash...

This week’s “Horseracing NW” reviews and previews events on the track at Emerald Downs. Grant Forster, trainer of Five Star General, is the guest. Five Star General, with three placings in the Mile, 2020-21-22, comes back from the Midwest where he’s had another very productive season. Forster won the Mile in 2005 with 60-1 No Giveaway. There’s another EmD stakes doubleheader on Sunday with previou...

The Emerald Downs racing surface plays host to the fastest two-year-olds in the northwest Sunday with the running of the King County Express and Angie C. Stakes for colts and geldings and fillies, respectively. Both races are at 5 1/2 furlongs with a purse of $50,000. Post time Sunday is 2 pm. Post time for Friday night is 7 pm while Saturday is 5 pm. Top national handicapper Chris Larmey is the g...

This week’s show recaps the top performances of last weekend in the Hastings Stakes and Budweiser stakes. Breeder/owner Holly Rydman of Bridleuptothebar, Budweiser winner, joins Joe, Vince and Bill. Also a guest is Steve Butler from Everett, the first winner ever in a “Grandparents Race,” last Sunday at EmD. Sport shorts, selections and trivia on “Horseracing NW.” Emerald Downs live racing schedul...

It’s a three-day weekend of great action at Emerald Downs! Friday night racing begins at 7pm with the first “$1,000 Horseshoe Toss” of the season. It’s free to sign up, turn in your entry black before post time of the the 3rd race. It’s also the first “Grandparents Weekend” themed promotion at EmD, all grandparents get in free on Saturday and Sunday. There’s a grandparents race down the stretch on...

It’s Indian Relay weekend at Emerald Downs! Qualifying heats begin on Friday night, continue on Saturday and culminate in the Muckleshoot Gold Cup Championship on Sunday. It’s great action, horse racing of a different variety. The Black Lodge Singers, Ryan Yellowjohn Hoop Dance and more among the entertainment on Track Level. Gayle Skunkcap Jr, publicist for Indian Relay racing, joins the podcast....

Be at Emerald Downs Friday night, June 9, and get your "Fab Friday T-Shirt!" Wear the shirt back for Friday night free admission the rest of the season. It'll be Friday-Saturday-Sunday racing at Emerald Downs through the end of August. Western Hockey League champs, the Seattle Thunderbirds are here on Saturday, there's "Dancing At the Downs" Saturday night and Bulldog racing on Sunday. Anthony "Th...

Jockey agent Aldo Matias joins Joe, Vince and Bill on this week's show. Matias is agent for his stepfather Javier Matias (#5 all-time in EmD wins) as well as Kevin Orozco and Rigo Sarmiento. Aldo Matias is a student in the University of Arizona Racetrack Industry program, he's bilingual and an accomplished soccer player. Stats, selections, sport shorts and trivia too, on Horseracing NW. It's a Fam...

Put Emerald Downs in your plans this Memorial Day weekend! Racing Saturday, Sunday and Monday - first race at 2 pm. Besides great action on the track, fans have a chance to win high quality, outdoor-themed gifts in "The Great Outdoor Giveaway," all three days. Emerald Downs has three-time defending jockey champion Alex Cruz back riding, the always popular Kevin Radke off to a great start and talen...

It's Teacher Appreciation Weekend at Emerald Downs, this Saturday and Sunday, May 20-21. All school district employees receive free admission for themselves and a guest on both days. First race 2 pm. Live music at EmD on Saturday evening - Prom Date Mix Tape plays on the 5th floor between 8-11 pm. Tickets can be purchased at emeralddowns.com for a discounted rate. Just $10 at the door. It's Preakn...

Week #2 at Emerald Downs is this Saturday & Sunday, May 13-14, first race at 2 pm. As predicted, many more horses in participation - 9 races on Saturday and 10 races Sunday. Bring Mom out for Mother's Day and enjoy Emerald Downs and a great weekend of weather. A great addition and tradition to Mother's Day racing is the appearance of a Thoroughbred mare and her four-week old foal, paraded on the t...

Opening Day at Emerald Downs! Saturday May 6, be here at 1 pm for the first race of the new season. Sign up to win prizes in the Fabulous Hat Contest between 11:30 and 2:30 on Track Level. Win your share of $1,000. And, if you'd like to see many of our new jockeys, they'll be introduced in the Winner's Circle prior to the first race. New trainers, too, many from Turf Paradise in Phoenix. Joe & Vin...

The countdown continues to Opening Day at Emerald Downs! Saturday, May 6 is the date for the beginning of 2023 live racing and a big plus is it's Kentucky Derby day as well. First race at 1 pm, come see the many new faces among jockeys, trainers and horses. Win your share of $1,000 in the Derby day Hat Contest. And, for horseplayers on EmD races, note the new low 10% takeout on Daily Double and Pi...

One month to Emerald Downs Opening Day! Join us Saturday, May 6 for our first day of live racing with a big additional plus - it's also Kentucky Derby day. First race at 1 pm. We'll have the traditional decorative hat contest and also a best-dressed category, too. Prizes awarded after the Kentucky Derby. Saturday, April 8 has three important three-year-old stakes - the Wood Memorial, the Blue Gras...

Getting closer to Opening Day at Emerald Downs, Saturday May 6! That's also Kentucky Derby day so make plans to be here for the season's first race at 1 pm. The next of our popular live music nights, "Dancing At the Downs," is Saturday night, April 8, with an Aerosmith tribute band. "Training Day" on youtube.com begins next week, March 23. Emerald Downs is open for full card simulcasting seven day...