Steady as she goes for Emerald's 2019 meeting

The 2019 Emerald Downs live season begins Saturday with a nine-race card starting at 2 p.m. Pacific. The 67-day meet will conclude Sunday, Sept. 22.

Saturday is the only racing day scheduled at Emerald for Easter weekend. Starting next week, racing will be held on Saturdays and Sundays until May 10, when Fridays are added. Post times are the same as last year – 6:30 p.m. on Fridays; 2 p.m. Saturdays until June 15 when it changes to 5 p.m.; and 2 p.m. Sundays.

The schedule is basically the same as last year, and why not? The all-sources mutuel handle was up 6.6 percent in 2018 from 2017, and the average daily handle was up by 14.5 percent.

Track president Phil Ziegler is hoping to build on a marketing strategy that was very successful in 2018.

“We’re expecting more of the same,” Ziegler said. “We bring a lot of families to the track with special events and promotions. We had some kind of promotion every race day and we are doing it again this year. We like the way the meet played out from horse entries, field size, and crowds. There was a good flow, so we’re not going to make any major changes.”

Some would say the track is going to the dogs. Other than the traditional fireworks show, which this year is on Wednesday, July 3, the largest crowd to turn out last year came to see the corgi races.

“People love the dogs, and we’re adding an extra dog day,” Ziegler said. “We’ve had corgis, wiener dogs, and wiener wannabes, and this year were adding bulldogs and beagle races on Belmont weekend. Canterbury has been very successful with their bulldogs.”

There is small but important change to the stakes schedule. The traditional highlight of the meet is the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile, which will be held Aug. 11. The premier race in the Northwest, the Mile will anchor what the track is calling Championship Sunday. Supporting the Mile are the $50,000 Muckleshoot Derby, $50,000 Emerald Distaff, and $50,000 Emerald Oaks.

“It’s going to be an exciting day with an all-stakes pick four comprised of championship races for each division,” Ziegler said.

Last year’s leading trainer, Jeff Metz, will not be returning to defend his title. Instead, he plans to race in California and at Arizona Downs, formerly known as Yavapai Downs.

“I have some horses at Santa Anita, and they will stay in California,” Metz said. “I am trying something new by taking the Turf Paradise horses to Arizona Downs.”

Rocco Bowen will eventually shoot for his fourth straight leading rider title. However, due to an injured shoulder he will not be ready to ride opening day.

“I am not sure when he’ll be back, but he is doing everything he can to get well,” said his agent, David Singer.

Singer said he was bringing in Jorge Carreno and Heribert Martinez to help fill the void.

Returning to the saddle is Juan Gutierrez, who is the second-leading rider all-time at Emerald with 1,320 wins there. Gutierrez hasn’t ridden since he was injured in a spill at Emerald in 2017.