Lower takeout, bigger fields in play for Emerald Downs opener
Emerald Downs president Phil Ziegler is looking forward to seeing a packed racetrack when the Auburn, Wash., oval kicks off its 2022 live season Sunday.
“We’re ready,” he said. “It is kind of exciting to be able open with no restrictions. All the big events are back, including the Fireworks Spectacular on July 3. Plus, we are bringing back the T-Rex race. It was a huge success and it had over 100 million views on social media the last time we held it.”
The popular event is scheduled for Aug. 21.
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The 52-day meet runs through Sept. 18 with racing on weekends only; Saturdays begin May 21. The first Friday is June 3. Post time on Saturday and Sunday is 2:15 p.m. Pacific. Friday evening cards will begin at 7 p.m. There is a special 5 p.m. start for the Fireworks Spectacular, which always draws the largest crowd at the meet.
Emerald is dropping the takeout on win, place, and show bets.
“At 14.7 percent, we now have the lowest takeout in the country for win, place, and show wagering,” Ziegler said. “We think the lower takeout helps the everyday player. We have a few more horses than we did last year, so there should be fuller fields. We have 73 horses running on our nine-race opening-day card.”
The $150,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 14 headlines a 21-race stakes schedule that begins with a couple of $50,000 stakes for 3-year-olds on June 19. Both the Auburn and Seattle, for fillies, will be contested at six furlongs.
Supporting the Mile are the $75,000 Emerald Distaff, $75,000 Muckleshoot Derby, and $75,000 Washington Oaks.
The Washington Cup features four $50,000 stakes on two different days. It starts with the Washington Cup Juvenile Colts and Geldings and Washington Juvenile Fillies on Aug. 28. The Washington Cup Fillies and Mares and Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for 3-year-olds and up share the stage with the $70,000 Gottstein Futurity on closing day.
The races for 2-year-olds are restricted to Washington-breds, while the Classic and Fillies and Mares also are open to horses bred in British Columbia.
The opening-day feature is a nonwinners-of-two allowance race for 3-year-olds and up or Washington-bred nonwinners of three. The 5 1/2-furlong dash drew eight horses and goes as the eighth race.
With plenty of speed in the field, the race could set up nicely for the David Martinez-trained Naval Escort.
A 4-year-old Washington-bred son of Coast Guard, Naval Escort has been working like he’s ready to fire a big shot coming off the bench and in his best race last year he rallied to finish third in the $50,000 Irish Day. He will break from post 3 with Kevin Radke up.
Bill Downes takes over the announcing duties from Tom Harris. Downes had been plying his trade at Indiana Grand, now Horseshoe Indianapolis, for the past nine years.
Downes takes pride in being accurate.
“Accuracy is the most important thing, nothing else matters,” he said. “I try to set the scene for a race. Every race is a story.”