Emerald Downs Celebrates 20th Anniversary

A thunderstorm forced the cancellation of the last race at Emerald Downs the evening of June 20, but did little to spoil the Washington track's 20th anniversary celebration.

Many of the track's original investors were on hand along with several equine stars, prominent horsemen, and local dignitaries. A highlight was the announcement that Emerald Downs founder Ron Crockett will be honored permanently; the main thoroughfare in front of the track was renamed Ron Crockett Drive.

Recent winners of the Longacres Mile (gr. III)—No Giveaway, Flamethrowintexan, Wasserman, and Noosa Beach—were paraded in front of the grandstand along with representatives from all 20 Longacres Mile winners at Emerald Downs. Jockeys Gallyn Mitchell and Ricky Frazier and owner Mike Pegram were just a few of the participants.

Emerald Downs opened June 20, 1996. It was built to replace popular Longacres racetrack, which was shuttered in 1992 after the land on which it sat was sold to Boeing.

The Muckleshoot tribe first purchased the Emerald Downs property, and later the track and related facilities to form Emerald Downs Racing. The tribe has since made various improvements and provides purse supplements.

Because the final race was canceled, a 20-cent Pick 7 returned $1,383 for six winners. Under Washington Horse Racing Commission rules, the Pick 7 must be completed to have a carryover payout; the $27,000-plus carryover was shifted to the next racing program June 24.

The feature of the night, the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes, was won by William Burns and Rebecca Turcott's B C Z Middleton, trained by Jeff Metz and ridden by Jose Zunino. Bred in Kentucky by Burns, B C Z Middleton, by Nobiz Like Shobiz, is the first 3-year-old winner of the stakes for fillies and mares.