Good times keep rolling for Withee

It would be hard to find anyone who had more fun last year at Emerald Downs than Joe Withee, who has been the director of broadcast media at Emerald Downs since it opened in 1996.

First of all, Withee loves his job as the face of Emerald. He seems to be everywhere. Some of his duties include paddock interviews, analyzing the races for the Emerald TV feed, and interviewing the connections of the winners of the feature race. What really made work a joy for Withee last year was the success of a couple of horses he owns in partnership with David Israel, Al Adams, Charlie Clark, Angie Wilson, and Steve Pilgrim. They race under the stable name How We Roll 4.

They own Sippin Fire, who was the top 3-year-old at Emerald with four stakes wins. Northwest Factor won two stakes, including beating the boys in the richest race for 2-year-olds at Emerald, the $90,000 Gottstein Futurity. Both horses are trained by Steve Bullock.

“I’m pretty lucky,” said Withee. “I have been able to work at something I love, and last year was a dream with all the success the stable had. It was a bit odd doing the interviews when our horse won. I really appreciated it when [Emerald president Phil Ziegler] took over for the Gottstein Futurity. I was in a bit of a daze.”

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“I lived across the street from Longacres, and my basketball coach was a mutuel clerk there,” said Withee. “He told us to come by because he had a tip on a hot 2-year-old. It won and paid $26. I remember the horse’s name, Pallisades Prince. For the first time in my life I had hundred dollar bills in my pocket. “

It wasn’t just the thrill of a big score that attracted Withee to horse racing.

“There is just so much that is fascinating about the game,” he said. “Longacres was a beautiful place. I like mathematics. I enjoyed the Kentucky Derby on TV, the history, the breeding of the horses. And its boy meets girl, its outdoors – there’s just a lot to it.”

Withee was in college on his way to becoming a teacher and basketball coach when he changed directions.

“I thought I knew a lot about sports and was always criticizing broadcasters,” he said, “so I got into the TV program at Western Washington University in Bellingham and did an internship on KVI radio. I met people from Longacres at the radio station. I started working at the track in 1984 and have been involved ever since. “

Withee understands the game well enough to know that fame can be fleeting when it comes to horses, especially ones moving into different age groups, such as Sippin Fire and Northwest Factor. His enthusiasm has not waned, though.

“It will be tough to beat last year with six stakes wins, “he said. “But the horses are doing well and we have three nice 2-year-olds. I’m still living the dream.”