69th Longacres Mile on Aug. 22

AUBURN, Wash. - Emerald Downs has released a list of 36 stakes, worth a total of $2,070,000 in purse money, to be run at its 2004 meeting, which runs 89 days from April 16 through Sept. 20.

The schedule is highlighted as usual by the Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile, which will be run for the 69th time Aug. 22.

The 2004 meeting will also host the second Washington Cup Day on Sept. 19. Washington Cup Day comprises eight stakes worth $400,000 in total purse money. All of the stakes will be restricted to Washington-breds except the $100,000 Gottstein Futurity for 2-year-olds, which is open to all nominees to the Northwest Race Series and supplementals.

The other hundred-granders on the schedule are the $100,000 Mt. Rainier Breeders' Cup for older horses at nine furlongs July 25, the $100,000 Washington Breeders' Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at a mile Aug. 21, the $100,000 Emerald Breeders' Cup Distaff for fillies and mares at a mile Aug. 22, and the $100,000 Emerald Breeders' Cup Derby for 3-year-olds at nine furlongs Sept. 6.

The minimum purse for stakes has been raised from $35,000 to $40,000 to comply with new industry standards for black-type races. To fund the increase, the Emerald Breeders' Cup Derby purse was lowered by $25,000, to $100,000, and two highly restricted stakes for 3-year-olds from the Northwest Stallion Series were eliminated. The two races - the Son of Briartic Stakes and the Table Run Stakes - both $35,000 events, drew poorly last year.