The 29-race stakes schedule featuring the 79th renewal of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), three stakes double-headers and Washington Cup XII has been announced for the 2014 season at Emerald Downs.
Beginning with the $50,000 Hastings Handicap for older fillies and mares on Sunday, May 11, and ending with a stakes double-header for 2-year-olds on closing day, Sunday, September 28, a total of $1,610,000 will be offered in stakes purses.
Twenty-six stakes are scheduled on Sundays including the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) on Sunday, August 24. The Grade 3 Mile*among the Northwest’s most enduring and iconic sporting events*is half of a stakes double-header also featuring the $65,000 Emerald Distaff for older fillies and mares at 1-1/8 miles.
According to Emerald Downs Vice President Jack Hodge and Director of Racing Bret Anderson, the 2014 stakes schedule allows all categories several opportunities at large purses, and designed so that horses peak for the biggest events in August and September.
The schedule features 10 stakes events for older horses, 10 races for 3-year-olds, eight events for 2-year-olds and one race for Quarter Horses.
The road to the Longacres Mile begins Sunday, May 18, with the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap for 3-year-olds and-up at 6-½ furlongs, and continuesSunday, June 15, with the $50,000 Budweiser Handicap at one mile. The $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1-1/16 miles on Sunday, July 20, serves as the final local prep for this year’s Mile. In 2013, Horse of the Meeting Herbie D used the Mt. Rainier as a perfect tune-up for his brilliant gate-to-wire victory in the Longacres Mile.
Annually attracting several of the nation’s fastest middle-distance runners, The Mile culminates a tremendous two-week stretch that features championship events in four categories. In addition to The Mile and Emerald Distaff, 3-year-old fillies meet in the $65,000 Washington Oaks onSaturday, August 9, and 3-year-olds square off in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby on Sunday, August 10.
The 2-year-old divisions tilt heavily toward the latter half of the meeting, capped by a September 28 doubleheader featuring the $65,000 Gottstein Futurity at 1-1/16 miles and the $50,000 Cahill Road Stakes at six furlongs.
Washington Cup XII*six races exclusively for Washington-breds worth an aggregate $300,000*is Sunday, September 7. Again in 2014, WA Cup races are worth $50,000 in all six stakes divisions: 2-year-olds, 2-year-old fillies, 3-year-olds, 3-year-old fillies, older horses, older fillies and mares.
The 75-day season, the 19th at Emerald Downs, begins Saturday, April 12. Live racing is offered every Saturday and Sunday through April, with Fridays added to the schedule beginning May 2. Post time is 6:45 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. weekends. Exceptions are 1 p.m., Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 3, and 4:30 p.m. for the Fireworks Spectacular, Thursday, July 3.
Holiday racing will be held Monday, May 26, Friday, July 4, and Monday, September 1.
2014 EMERALD DOWNS STAKES SCHEDULE
29 Races: $1,610,000 Purses
Date. . . . .Purse . . . . .Name
Sunday, May 11 $50,000 Hastings Handicap (3&UP F&M) 6F
Sunday, May 18 $50,000 Governor’s Handicap (3&UP) 6-½ F
Sunday, May 25 $50,000 Auburn Handicap (3YO C&G) 6-½ F
Sunday, June 1 $50,000 Seattle Handicap (3YO F) 6-½ F
Sunday, June 8 $50,000 WA State Legislators Stakes (3&UP F&M) 6-½ F
Sunday, June 15 $50,000 Budweiser Handicap (3&UP) 1M
Sunday, June 22 $50,000 Coca-Cola Handicap (3YO C&G) 1M
Sunday, June 29 $50,000 Irish Day Handicap (3YO F) 1M
Sunday, July 6 $50,000 Boeing Handicap (3&UP F&M) 1M
Sunday, July 13 $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap (3YO C&G) 1-1/16M
Saturday, July 19 $50,000 Kent Handicap (3YO F) 1-1/16M
Sunday, July 20 $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap (3&UP) 1-1/16M
Sunday, July 20 $50,000 Emerald Express (2YO C&G) 6F
Sunday, July 27 $50,000 Angie C Stakes (2YO F) 6F
Saturday, August 9 $65,000 Washington Oaks (3YO F) 1-1/8M
Sunday, August 10 $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby (3YO) 1-1/8M
Saturday, August 16 $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes (2YO C&G) 6-½ F
Sunday, August 17 $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes (2YO F) 6-½ F
Sunday, August 24 $65,000 Emerald Distaff (3&UP F&M) 1-1/8M
Sunday, August 24 $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) (3&UP) 1M
Sunday, August 31 TBA Bank of America Chmp Challenge* (3&UP) 440 Y
Washington Cup XII
Sunday, September 7 $50,000 Northwest Farms Stakes (2YO F WA) 6F
Sunday, September 7 $50,000 DRF Dennis Dodge Stakes (2YO C&G WA) 6F
Sunday, September 7 $50,000 Comcast SportsNet Stakes (3YO F WA) 1M
Sunday, September 7 $50,000 Jim Beam Stakes (3YO C&G WA) 1M
Sunday, September 7 $50,000 Pegasus Training Center (3&UP F&M WA) 1-1/16M
Sunday, September 7 $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic (3&UP WA) 1-1/16M
Sunday, September 28 $65,000 Gottstein Futurity (2YO) 1-1/16M
Sunday, September 28 $50,000 NWSS Cahill Road Stakes (2YO) 6F
*QUARTER HORSE
Reed Palmer/Emerald Downs Photos
MG_8352: Canadian invader Herbie D and jokcey Amadeo Perez prevail in the 2013 Longacres Mile (G3). The 79th running of the Northwest’s premier race is Sunday, August 24, 2014.
MG_0512: Northwest Farms’ undefeated 4-year-old filly Stopshoppingdebbie is the early horse to beat in the older filly & mare division, which begins with the $50,000 Hastings Handicap on Sunday, May 11.
