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Emerald Downs To Explore Adding More Quarter Horse Racing In ’27

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Recruiting Quarter Horse outfits to race at Emerald Downs in 2027 will be an offseason focus by track management in an attempt to bolster business at the lone remaining commercial Thoroughbred venue in the Pacific Northwest.

Phil Ziegler, the president of Emerald, delivered the news during Friday’s monthly Washington Horse Racing Commission (WHRC) meeting.

Pat LePley, the president of the Washington Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (WHBPA), said his organization is supportive of the idea.

Ziegler floated the Quarter Horse concept after recapping business at the recently concluded May-to-September race meet, which he termed as “good news” tempered by a “mixture” of mitigating circumstances.

Emerald had opened its season May 2 with Saturday and Sunday racing before adding Fridays, as scheduled, after Memorial Day.

But the Thoroughbred population couldn’t bear that third weekly day of racing, and the track subsequently asked for and received WHRC permission to drop the Fridays that had been scheduled for August.

Total handle and on-track handle both dipped in 2026, but Ziegler said those numbers have to be put into context.

“We went from an average [total handle] in 2024 of, like, $888,000 to $1.3 million last year, because when Golden Gate closed down, we got a lot of that time-slot handle and a lot of the horses, [and] we went up almost 50%.

“So I think it’s kind of expected that some of that was going to be kind of ‘given back’ [in 2026], and it was. So we were down 7% compared to last year [in] average handle, but the average is still above almost 40% over 2024,” Ziegler said.

“On track handle was down just very, very slightly from last year, and again, up over 2024. So it’s nice to see that that was solid,” Ziegler said.

“Our average field size is probably the biggest issue that we’ll be dealing with in the offseason. We had 2,516 starters and 395 races. Last year, there were 3,074 starters and 418 races. And that is, basically, a horse [per] race that we were [down].

“One of the biggest challenges is 61% of our races had a field size of six or less. And last year that was only 28%. That hurts handle, and that hurts a lot of things. So a lot of the decrease can be attributed to that,” Ziegler said.

If there was any upside to the equation, Ziegler said that because there were fewer starters and fewer races, roughly the same amount of purse money from 2025 went further.

“Purses per starter was up 20% in 2026,” Ziegler said. “So every horse that went in the gate in 2025, the average earnings [per start] was $2,088, and in 2026 it was $2,498. That is a very big increase. So the folks that were running their horses made more money theoretically every time they started.

Purses overall, Ziegler said, declined by 2%. But he explained that because Emerald ran three fewer race dates in 2026 than 2025, the per-day purses were up by 4%.

Emerald Downs first turn | Reed and Erin Palmer

Emerald hosted three American Quarter Horse Association Championship Challenge Series races during the recently concluded meet. Ziegler said that because those races generated decent handle and fan interest, he has been asked about adding more Quarter Horse races to Emerald’s overall racing program in 2027.

“I think it’s because of the success we had with the Challenge races,” Ziegler said. “We ran them last in the card. They handled really well, great participation, and the fans seemed to really love it because they’re fast, they come right down that stretch…

“So I think that’s something we look hard at for next year to see if there’s a market for those Quarter Horse folks to come here and help with the horse population and the product that we put out-definitely something we’re going to pursue.”

LePley said that from the WHBPA’s perspective, “obviously, we’re going to assist Emerald in searching for additional horses” for next year’s meet.

“The horsemen, obviously, expect some changes coming in 2027,” LePley said. “People have talked about the Quarter Horse racing, which is something that could be a real positive for our race days and our race cards.”

Doug Moore, the chairman of the WHRC, said he believes the desire to race in Washington State exists within the Quarter Horse community.

“I did go to Tillamook [the mixed-meet fair in Oregon] when they were running [in August], and there is a lot of interest,” Moore told Ziegler. “I got asked several times from people wanting to know if you were going to look at running Quarter Horses. Those guys are very interested. I think you’d get support.”

LePley said there are other aspects of the race meet horsemen would like to see improved.

“We thought that there was an inordinate number of [veterinary] scratches at the gate in races,” LePley said. “In fact, one day, I think we had 10 late scratches, and that was far and unusual for what we would ordinarily experience. So we’re going to want to sit down and talk to the WHRC about, you know, why were those horses scratched? What can we do to prevent that and improve that situation?”

On the aspect of scheduling for 2027, LePley said, “I don’t know whether we’re going to be running too many three-day weeks. Two days of racing seemed to do pretty well for us. But I think that there are a number of issues that are raised by that, and we’ll need to have a lengthy discussion both with the racing commission and also with Emerald Downs management.

“The long-run problems that we continue to face are the increasing costs to keeping racehorses.  I don’t know what we do to improve the situation, make it more affordable for people. There has been some talk of putting together co-ops to obtain vitamins, food, and some other necessities that we need to run horses. That’s certainly something we’ll look into at this next meet,” LePley said.

Beyond the statistics and business-generating initiatives, Ziegler said there was one other recruitment aspect about Emerald that he wanted more racing outfits in other parts of the country to know about.

“People think that it rains all the time around here? Not during our race meet,” Ziegler said.

Ziegler said that greater Seattle’s reputation for dreary weather isn’t necessarily true during the warmer months of the year, when Emerald is in action.

Ziegler said that in 2026, 96% of the races were conducted over a fast main track (Emerald does not have a turf course). Only two days out of the entire spring/summer meet had either “wet fast” or “muddy” designations.

“We do have probably the best weather in the entire country. All these other tracks with these storms coming through and the heat advisories. How many tracks cancel for that?” Ziegler said.

The post Emerald Downs To Explore Adding More Quarter Horse Racing In ’27 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Notable Speech, Deterministic Square Off in Woodbine Mile

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Champion Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is back to defend his title in a fantastic renewal of the GI Woodbine Mile, one of four Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifiers on a stacked card at Woodbine Saturday.

Last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and last-out G1 Sky Bet City Of York S. hero will take on seven rivals, led by streaking ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ Deterministic (Liam’s Map).

“Timing-wise, it sits well after York and potentially before another tilt at the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Charlie Appleby said of the Godolphin homebred and even-money program favorite. “We enjoyed our experience here (at Woodbine) last year, and when you have a horse capable of competing at the highest level, you want to support and take part in races like this.”

The rail-drawn Deterministic, campaigned in partnership by St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable, and trained by Miguel Clement, enters riding a six-race winning streak, led by repeat victories in the GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. June 6 and GI Fourstardave S. Aug. 8, both at Saratoga.

“We get along together,” jockey Kendrick Carmouche said. “We pretty much have the same personality. He comes out nice, cool, calm and collected around the paddock, but when he’s going around the track, he’s all about business and wanting to win.”

Godolphin and Appleby will also be well-represented by Diamond Rain (GB) (Shamardal), the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the GI E. P. Taylor S. The main rival for last year’s narrow E. P. Taylor runner-up appears to be last-out GII Beverly D. S. victress Gimme a Nother (SAf) (Gimmethegreenlight {Aus}), a winner of three straight for trainer Graham Motion.

Full fields of 2-year-olds will also be in the spotlight at Woodbine in the GI Bet365 Summer S. and GI Johnnie Walker Natalma S.

The top two choices on the Summer’s morning line have both made the trip from across the pond–the Appleby-trained G2 Superlative S. winner and 2-1 morning-line favorite Al Hudaiba (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Big Money Man (Ire) (No Nay Never), stakes-placed in France from the Christopher Head yard.

Lamirada (Army Mule) switches to grass in the Natalma following a daylight debut win sprinting with an 86 Beyer for trainer Josie Carroll over the all-weather Aug. 8. The field of 11 also includes: the two-for-two bet365 Soaring Free S. winner De la Renta (Oscar Performance) and Saratoga maiden winners

Embouteillage (Kingman {GB}), Runaway Bride (Charlatan); and Voyager (Justify). The latter is also cross-entered to face the boys in the Summer.

Woodbine’s 12-race program also includes the GIII Ontario Matron S. and GIII Vigil S.

The Roads to the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks kick off in Louisville with the GIII Iroquois S. and GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs.

The Bob Baffert-trained two-for-two Salahudin (Uncle Mo) headlines the Iroquois following a powerful win in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. Aug. 9. The field of nine also includes fellow unbeaten Blessed Flyer (Dialed In), who enters fresh following a just-in-time win in the Bashford Manor S. June 28.

Nine are set for the Pocahontas, led by the unbeaten Ellis Park Debutante S. winner Manuka Honey (Upstart). She’s won her first two starts for Brian Lynch by a combined 14 1/4 lengths.

Churchill’s card also features the GII Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove S., headlined by 2025 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint heroine Splendora (Audible).

Saturday’s graded stakes action is rounded out by Gulfstream’s GIII Princess Rooney S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

The post Notable Speech, Deterministic Square Off in Woodbine Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Emerald Downs To Explore Adding More Quarter Horse Racing In ’27

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Recruiting Quarter Horse outfits to race at Emerald Downs in 2027 will be an offseason focus by track management in an attempt to bolster business at the lone remaining commercial Thoroughbred venue in the Pacific Northwest.

Phil Ziegler, the president of Emerald, delivered the news during Friday’s monthly Washington Horse Racing Commission (WHRC) meeting.

Pat LePley, the president of the Washington Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (WHBPA), said his organization is supportive of the idea.

Ziegler floated the Quarter Horse concept after recapping business at the recently concluded May-to-September race meet, which he termed as “good news” tempered by a “mixture” of mitigating circumstances.

Emerald had opened its season May 2 with Saturday and Sunday racing before adding Fridays, as scheduled, after Memorial Day.

But the Thoroughbred population couldn’t bear that third weekly day of racing, and the track subsequently asked for and received WHRC permission to drop the Fridays that had been scheduled for August.

Total handle and on-track handle both dipped in 2026, but Ziegler said those numbers have to be put into context.

“We went from an average [total handle] in 2024 of, like, $888,000 to $1.3 million last year, because when Golden Gate closed down, we got a lot of that time-slot handle and a lot of the horses, [and] we went up almost 50%.

“So I think it’s kind of expected that some of that was going to be kind of ‘given back’ [in 2026], and it was. So we were down 7% compared to last year [in] average handle, but the average is still above almost 40% over 2024,” Ziegler said.

“On track handle was down just very, very slightly from last year, and again, up over 2024. So it’s nice to see that that was solid,” Ziegler said.

“Our average field size is probably the biggest issue that we’ll be dealing with in the offseason. We had 2,516 starters and 395 races. Last year, there were 3,074 starters and 418 races. And that is, basically, a horse [per] race that we were [down].

“One of the biggest challenges is 61% of our races had a field size of six or less. And last year that was only 28%. That hurts handle, and that hurts a lot of things. So a lot of the decrease can be attributed to that,” Ziegler said.

If there was any upside to the equation, Ziegler said that because there were fewer starters and fewer races, roughly the same amount of purse money from 2025 went further.

“Purses per starter was up 20% in 2026,” Ziegler said. “So every horse that went in the gate in 2025, the average earnings [per start] was $2,088, and in 2026 it was $2,498. That is a very big increase. So the folks that were running their horses made more money theoretically every time they started.

Purses overall, Ziegler said, declined by 2%. But he explained that because Emerald ran three fewer race dates in 2026 than 2025, the per-day purses were up by 4%.

Emerald Downs first turn | Reed and Erin Palmer

Emerald hosted three American Quarter Horse Association Championship Challenge Series races during the recently concluded meet. Ziegler said that because those races generated decent handle and fan interest, he has been asked about adding more Quarter Horse races to Emerald’s overall racing program in 2027.

“I think it’s because of the success we had with the Challenge races,” Ziegler said. “We ran them last in the card. They handled really well, great participation, and the fans seemed to really love it because they’re fast, they come right down that stretch…

“So I think that’s something we look hard at for next year to see if there’s a market for those Quarter Horse folks to come here and help with the horse population and the product that we put out-definitely something we’re going to pursue.”

LePley said that from the WHBPA’s perspective, “obviously, we’re going to assist Emerald in searching for additional horses” for next year’s meet.

“The horsemen, obviously, expect some changes coming in 2027,” LePley said. “People have talked about the Quarter Horse racing, which is something that could be a real positive for our race days and our race cards.”

Doug Moore, the chairman of the WHRC, said he believes the desire to race in Washington State exists within the Quarter Horse community.

“I did go to Tillamook [the mixed-meet fair in Oregon] when they were running [in August], and there is a lot of interest,” Moore told Ziegler. “I got asked several times from people wanting to know if you were going to look at running Quarter Horses. Those guys are very interested. I think you’d get support.”

LePley said there are other aspects of the race meet horsemen would like to see improved.

“We thought that there was an inordinate number of [veterinary] scratches at the gate in races,” LePley said. “In fact, one day, I think we had 10 late scratches, and that was far and unusual for what we would ordinarily experience. So we’re going to want to sit down and talk to the WHRC about, you know, why were those horses scratched? What can we do to prevent that and improve that situation?”

On the aspect of scheduling for 2027, LePley said, “I don’t know whether we’re going to be running too many three-day weeks. Two days of racing seemed to do pretty well for us. But I think that there are a number of issues that are raised by that, and we’ll need to have a lengthy discussion both with the racing commission and also with Emerald Downs management.

“The long-run problems that we continue to face are the increasing costs to keeping racehorses.  I don’t know what we do to improve the situation, make it more affordable for people. There has been some talk of putting together co-ops to obtain vitamins, food, and some other necessities that we need to run horses. That’s certainly something we’ll look into at this next meet,” LePley said.

Beyond the statistics and business-generating initiatives, Ziegler said there was one other recruitment aspect about Emerald that he wanted more racing outfits in other parts of the country to know about.

“People think that it rains all the time around here? Not during our race meet,” Ziegler said.

Ziegler said that greater Seattle’s reputation for dreary weather isn’t necessarily true during the warmer months of the year, when Emerald is in action.

Ziegler said that in 2026, 96% of the races were conducted over a fast main track (Emerald does not have a turf course). Only two days out of the entire spring/summer meet had either “wet fast” or “muddy” designations.

“We do have probably the best weather in the entire country. All these other tracks with these storms coming through and the heat advisories. How many tracks cancel for that?” Ziegler said.

The post Emerald Downs To Explore Adding More Quarter Horse Racing In ’27 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Notable Speech, Deterministic Square Off in Woodbine Mile

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Champion Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is back to defend his title in a fantastic renewal of the GI Woodbine Mile, one of four Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifiers on a stacked card at Woodbine Saturday.

Last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and last-out G1 Sky Bet City Of York S. hero will take on seven rivals, led by streaking ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ Deterministic (Liam’s Map).

“Timing-wise, it sits well after York and potentially before another tilt at the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Charlie Appleby said of the Godolphin homebred and even-money program favorite. “We enjoyed our experience here (at Woodbine) last year, and when you have a horse capable of competing at the highest level, you want to support and take part in races like this.”

The rail-drawn Deterministic, campaigned in partnership by St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable, and trained by Miguel Clement, enters riding a six-race winning streak, led by repeat victories in the GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. June 6 and GI Fourstardave S. Aug. 8, both at Saratoga.

“We get along together,” jockey Kendrick Carmouche said. “We pretty much have the same personality. He comes out nice, cool, calm and collected around the paddock, but when he’s going around the track, he’s all about business and wanting to win.”

Godolphin and Appleby will also be well-represented by Diamond Rain (GB) (Shamardal), the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the GI E. P. Taylor S. The main rival for last year’s narrow E. P. Taylor runner-up appears to be last-out GII Beverly D. S. victress Gimme a Nother (SAf) (Gimmethegreenlight {Aus}), a winner of three straight for trainer Graham Motion.

Full fields of 2-year-olds will also be in the spotlight at Woodbine in the GI Bet365 Summer S. and GI Johnnie Walker Natalma S.

The top two choices on the Summer’s morning line have both made the trip from across the pond–the Appleby-trained G2 Superlative S. winner and 2-1 morning-line favorite Al Hudaiba (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Big Money Man (Ire) (No Nay Never), stakes-placed in France from the Christopher Head yard.

Lamirada (Army Mule) switches to grass in the Natalma following a daylight debut win sprinting with an 86 Beyer for trainer Josie Carroll over the all-weather Aug. 8. The field of 11 also includes: the two-for-two bet365 Soaring Free S. winner De la Renta (Oscar Performance) and Saratoga maiden winners

Embouteillage (Kingman {GB}), Runaway Bride (Charlatan); and Voyager (Justify). The latter is also cross-entered to face the boys in the Summer.

Woodbine’s 12-race program also includes the GIII Ontario Matron S. and GIII Vigil S.

The Roads to the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks kick off in Louisville with the GIII Iroquois S. and GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs.

The Bob Baffert-trained two-for-two Salahudin (Uncle Mo) headlines the Iroquois following a powerful win in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. Aug. 9. The field of nine also includes fellow unbeaten Blessed Flyer (Dialed In), who enters fresh following a just-in-time win in the Bashford Manor S. June 28.

Nine are set for the Pocahontas, led by the unbeaten Ellis Park Debutante S. winner Manuka Honey (Upstart). She’s won her first two starts for Brian Lynch by a combined 14 1/4 lengths.

Churchill’s card also features the GII Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove S., headlined by 2025 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint heroine Splendora (Audible).

Saturday’s graded stakes action is rounded out by Gulfstream’s GIII Princess Rooney S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

The post Notable Speech, Deterministic Square Off in Woodbine Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.