Please show your support to Olympia for HB 1703 and SB 5610 for financing critical to racing’s future in Washington. Those bills can offset significant upcoming costs of HISA regulations. Jon White joins Joe and Vince to speak to the national three-year-old picture, less than three months out before this year’s Kentucky Derby. Pool Four of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is in effect this weekend, closing Sunday at 3 pm.

Emerald Downs now has Las Margs Café in the stable area with first day of operations on Monday, Feb. 24. After the first week, regular hours will be 7 am to 2 pm, Wednesday through Sunday. EmD’s Fifth Floor remains open seven days a week for simulcasting, including many top tracks in action this Monday, Feb. 17 for President’s Day.

With the calendar turned to 2025, Emerald Downs is gearing up for its 30th season of Thoroughbred racing, Opening Day on Sunday, April 27. Horses begin training on the track on Monday, February 24. Another date to note is Saturday, February 22. That evening, horse and human achievements of 2024 are recognized at the WTBOA Awards Banquet, open to the public.

Washington Hall of Fame trainer Tim McCanna and Turfway Park Track Announcer Tony Calo join Joe and Vince on this edition of Horseracing NW. McCanna, 10-time training titlist at EmD, figures to have a stronger local presence this season. Calo calls the races Wednesday-Saturday at Turfway, first race at 2:55 pm. Turfway averages over 10 starters per race and their $0.50 P-5 payoff averages over $40,000!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from Emerald Downs! The track is closed Christmas day but otherwise is open seven days a week for full card simulcasting. Join us for the opening of Santa Anita at 11 am on Thursday, Dec. 26. Check out a great 2025 season pass offer at emeralddowns.com.

Trainer Mike Puhich joins Joe & Vince to speak about the monumental contributions of Dr. Mark Dedomenico, who passed earlier this month. Dr Dedomenico had decades of significant contributions to Washington racing, the highlight of which was the opening of Pegasus Training and Rehabilitation Center in Redmond in 2005. Puhich has been Director of Racing and Farm Trainer there since 2008.

Happy Thanksgiving from Emerald Downs! The Fifth Floor is open seven days a week for full card simulcasting. Watch Emerald Downs regulars and Washington-bred horses in action at Turf Paradise, Pleasanton and other tracks. Several race meetings opening early next month - Los Alamitos, Turfway Park and Oaklawn. For a Christmas party or any type of gathering call Emerald Downs Group Sales at 253-288-7700.

Trainer Blaine Wright is Joe and Vince’s guest this week. Wright goes over his several stakes entries at Zia Park on Tuesday, Nov. 26, as well as speaking to his large overall stable and the state of racing in northern California. The usual “sport shorts” and trivia too on this edition of Horseracing NW. We’ll be back with another ‘cast prior to Christmas.

It’s Breeders’ Cup weekend and Emerald Downs is your best option to watch and wager on this year’s main event. Gates open at 8:30 am on Friday and 8:00 on Saturday. It’s first-come, first-served seating on the Fifth Floor each day. On Saturday, the Third Floor is also open as well as the Third Floor bar. Have a great Breeders’ Cup!

Jon White and Anthony Stabile add their handicapping and historical expertise to this week’s Horseracing NW. Both are welcome regulars on each year’s Breeders’ Cup podcast. Joe and Vince have the usual sport shorts, selections and trivia (Vince showed off his amazing sports knowledge by answering Joe’s sport short).

This week’s show includes an interview with the current #6 rated jockey in the world, Christophe Lemaire. Lemaire has been dominant in Japan for several years and is renowned from successes world-wide. He’s involved with furthering interest in racing through hip-hop music with EmD owner Greg Conley and others. Also, trainer Tom Wenzel remembers beloved groom Darrell LaFrance, who passed away last month after eight decades in the sport.

It’s off-season mode at Emerald Downs and full card simulcasting continues, seven days a week. The 2024 Breeders’ Cup is just three weeks away, Nov. 1-2. The Fifth Floor will open early those days with seating first-come, first-served. Book a suite or a room for Breeder’s Cup days through the EmD Group Events department. Call 253-288-7700 to book any meeting or event, including a Christmas party!

It’s a wrap! The 2024 season came to a close with an outstanding closing day card and an exciting Gottstein Futurity. Colonel Ludlow took the top two-year-old race over stablemate A Thousand Miles. Leading trainer Justin Evans had more season-ending titles with Top Sprinter Neiman, Top Older Horse Arma d’Oro and Top Claimer Surprsinglyperfect, as well as Top Juvenile Colonel Ludlow.

Join Joe and Vince along with guest John Lindley as they detail the top efforts at Emerald Downs during the 2024 meeting. At the top of the list, Alex Cruz’s unprecedented fifth consecutive local riding title. Carlos Montalvo and Tom Wenzel defended their titles as top stakes jockey and stakes trainer. The track’s Fifth Floor is open seven days a week for full card simulcasting.

It’s closing weekend for the 2024 Emerald Downs season! Racing Friday night at 7:30, Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm. Saturday is “Fan Appreciation Day,” with free admission for all. Sunday, closing day, has meet honorees recognized throughout the card despite several categories still up the air. Those categories will be decided by the Gottstein Futurity, Muckleshoot Tribal Classic and Washington Cup Filly and Mare race.

Alex Cruz will win his unprecedented fifth consecutive Emerald Downs riding title, congratulations! Cruz won in his first season here, 2020, and is well ahead this year en route to that fifth straight jockey championship. The show includes the usual “Sport Shorts,” selections, trivia and a BC Derby stakes preview as well.

Emerald Downs heads into the final two weekends of the 2024 meeting and it’s Oktoberfest for the fans this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Wear Oktoberfest garb for free admission this weekend and that will also get you a reduced price on German beer at beverage stands. Live Bavarian themed music all weekend as well.

Petra Lewin, co-owner and breeder of Blazingbellablu, joins Joe and Vince on this week’s show. Blazingbellablu, 2021 Washington Horse of the Year and three times divisional champion, is now retired. Lewin relates details of the mating that produced Blazingbellablu, events of her career and the great mare’s future. Check out emeralddowns.com for Vince’s updated “news and notes,” – everything about the 2024 meeting you’ll need to know. An easier trivia question this week, too.

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 care of the Thoroughbred race horse. Owner Victor Bahna has written “Heliacal Star,” a novel about an at-risk runner and his cloudy future. There’s plenty of intrigue in this thriller. Bahna will be selling his book at EmD on Sunday. Ann-Kathrin Zemann, Deputy Secretary for the WHRC, has fulfilled her lifelong goal of being an owner of a retired Thoroughbred and she tells her story with enthusiasm.