Be at Emerald Downs Friday night for horse racing, music, food, fun and the deal of the Summer … well, Spring anyway. With your paid admission Friday night, you’ll receive your EmD Hawaiian shirt! Wear it back on any and all Fridays the rest of the season for free admission. The Jimmy Vegas band performs Friday night and the $1,000 Horseshoe Toss is back too. First race 7 pm, gates open at 5 pm.

The “Big A” Anthony Stabile and Emerald Downs trainer Alexis Silva-Martinez are this week’s guests. Stabile has an incredible record picking Belmont Stakes winners beginning with Rags to Riches in 2007. He scored last year with Sovereignty, sticking with his 7-1 Kentucky Derby winner from 2025. Stabile goes through Saturday’s Saratoga stakes races. Alexis Silva-Martinez is off to a great EmD start for 2026, winning at over 20%. Now in his fourth local season, he speaks to the challenges a young trainer faces.

The last weekend in May brings Teacher's Appreciation Day and Grandparents Day to Emerald Downs! All teachers and school district employees receive free admission and more this Saturday, May 30. There's also a Teacher's Race mid-card on Saturday. The

Grandparents Race, now in its fourth running, comes on Sunday afternoon. After receiving free admission, both men and women grandparents get their chance to run down the EmD stretch. Great-Grandparents, too, get their feet on the oval in a "race" of their own.

Racing was exciting this past Memorial Day weekend with top runners such as Aloha Breeze, Si That Tiger, Too Sassy and Baladi all scoring victories. This upcoming weekend sees more horses entered and field size growing. Trainer Howard Gibson joins Joe and Vince this week. Gibson is currently number two in the standings behind Tim McCanna. His barn has scored with top runners Chuckanut Bay and Subtle Shimmer and also has a good number of two-year-olds getting ready. Sport shorts, selections and trivia too on Horseracing NW.

Three days of racing this Memorial Day weekend at Emerald Downs! Bring the family out May 23-24-25, each day is a Family Fun Day and add a Kids Race on Sunday. We’re just a couple weeks away from Friday night racing (June 5) and the Hawaiian Shirt giveaway. Guests this week on the pod include returning horse owner Todd Pedersen and also Paul Beattie of elisportsnetwork.com. Check out Paul’s great Emerald Downs coverage.

Many of the track’s top horses are in action this weekend. Slew’s Tiz Whiz on Sunday and Aloha Breeze on Monday go postward for the first time this year. Slew’s Tiz Whiz continues to climb many significant Emerald Downs and Washington-bred lists while 2025 Horse of the Meeting Aloha Breeze is the one and only EmD Divisional Champion at ages two, three, four and five. Both the aforementioned runners are tied for most stakes wins among active horses at seven apiece.

Racing is back, the fans are back and the fun is back at Emerald Downs for 2026! Our first Saturday and Sunday weekend was memorable to many Moms in particular with the very popular Mother’s Day buffet and prize drawings for Moms each day. This Saturday is a “Dollar Day,” so enjoy that price on many concession specials while enjoying live racing and the Preakness on the big screen. Bulldogs get on the track Sunday for top family fun.

John Lindley and trainer Tim McCanna join Joe and Vince on this week’s show. Lindley always offers thoughtful insight into handicapping and racing at Emerald Downs. The author of “Parker’s” successful tip sheet, Lindley joins Joe on the set above the Paddock, introducing every race on Saturday and Sunday. Tim McCanna comes off a spectacular start to the season, winning with four of five starters, including scoring his 1,000th Emerald Downs victory on Sunday with Janey. McCanna is #2 all-time in Emerald Downs wins, trailing only Frank Lucarelli. He's won seven training titles at this track.

Coming off a highly enjoyable Opening Day for all in attendance, Emerald Downs moves on to Mother’s Day weekend! Bring Mom either Saturday or Sunday or both for Thoroughbred excitement and family fun beginning at 1:50 pm each day. Make sure Mom fills out an entry blank to be eligible for prize drawings on Saturday and Sunday. Go to emeralddowns.com for more info on promotions and offers.

Renowned handicapper and new author Chris Larmey and first year EmD trainer Mark Cloutier join Joe and Vince this week. Larmey, a Washington native, is a member of the National Handicappers Hall of Fame and will be at the track on Saturday to sign copies of his new book “Betting on Horses.” Cloutier has deep roots in Thoroughbred racing and spent the last 40 years involved at Hastings in Vancouver B.C. He’s brought expertise and great career record to Emerald Downs for 2026.

Opening Day is Saturday! Emerald Downs 30th anniversary season begins on May 2, first race 2 pm. Opening Day, Kentucky Derby day and a great day of weather to enjoy the afternoon. It’s the first of 51 days of live racing for 2026. Check out emeralddowns.com for info on all the particulars. See you at the track!

Track President Phil Ziegler joins Joe and Vince and speaks to events leading up to and including Opening Day activities. Attendance for live racing has been outstanding and Ziegler emphasizes “something going on every day” at Emerald Downs. Jon White gives info, insight and a top selection on the Kentucky Derby while top local handicapper T.J. O’Brien also adds his Derby analysis.

Make plans for Opening Day, Kentucky Derby day, at Emerald Downs! May 2 is just over a week away for the start of the 2026 season. Gates open at 11:00 am with the first race of the meeting at 1:50 pm. The 5th Floor will open for simulcasting at 7:30 am and Derby day action from Churchill Downs begins at 8:00. Get on your Derby day attire and headwear for some great prizes.

Mark Glatt will be the first Emerald Downs (former) trainer to start a horse in the Kentucky Derby when he saddles So Happy on May 2. Glatt grew up in Auburn and trained locally until relocating to southern California in the early 2000s. He was inducted into the Washington Thoroughbred Hall of Fame just last summer. He joins Joe and Vince on this week’s podcast, as does Anthony Stabile. “The Big A” always provides astute information on big races and has made countless winning selections for northwest fans for over 20 years.

It’s just over two weeks until Opening Day for the 2026 Emerald Downs meeting! It’ll be a festive May 2, as that is also Kentucky Derby Saturday. First race 1:50 pm. “Training Day,” available to view late Thursday afternoons, is once again a weekly feature at the Emerald Downs YouTube channel. More info at emeralddowns.com.

Joining Joe and Vince is trainer Robert Gilker, stabled here for 2026 due to Hastings not opening in Vancouver B.C. Gilker won the Longacres Mile with Herbie D in 2013 and has traveled and won from his Hastings base for several decades now. Also, Grant Holcomb, who began working in the Thoroughbred industry in 1970 and served as Director of Racing at Longacres, Yakima Meadows and Emerald Downs. He speaks to the passing of fellow employee and friend Bob Coble.

It’s just four short weeks to Opening Day for Emerald Downs 30th anniversary season! Saturday, May 2, is also Kentucky Derby day so join us for all the festivities surrounding those two milestones. The very popular Mother’s Day Buffet is not far off, too – both Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10. Check out emeralddowns.com for seating, offers, promotions and more for the 2026 race meeting.

Frank Lucarelli, Emerald Downs all-time leading trainer, and Spokane native Jon White are guests on this pod edition. Both Lucarelli and White are inductees to the Washington Thoroughbred Hall of Fame. Lucarelli's stable is on a great run at Turf Paradise this winter-spring. His 2025 Washington State Champions Saleen G T and Cantcatchthiscat are both in action next week in Phoenix. White takes us through the major three-year-old stakes on Saturday, April 4 and comments on the recent local Hall of Fame class.

Check out emeralddowns.com for seating, offers, promotions and more for the 2026 race meeting. Opening Day is Saturday, May 2, which is also Kentucky Derby day! The very popular Mother’s Day Buffet is not far off – both Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10. Remember Emerald Downs for your family party, business meeting or memorial service. Rooms of all sizes to accommodate your needs with food service, audio/visuals and free parking right next to building. Call Group Sales at 253-288-7700.

Joining Joe and Vince on this edition are experienced trainers Mike Puhich and Jason Orman, who are teaming up with syndicate opportunities for new or returning horse owners. Puhich has won the Mile twice and the Muckleshoot or Longacres Derby three times. Orman trained Rock Hard Ten to a Santa Anita Derby victory and runner-up in the Preakness. Also hear from native Washingtonian Delaina Stenchever, who’s doing a great job of reporting and handicapping at the current Turf Paradise meeting.