A 30-race stakes schedule featuring the 77th running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3), four stakes double-headers and Washington Cup X has been announced for 2012 at Emerald Downs.
A total of $1,585,00 will be offered in stakes purses, beginning May 13 with the $50,000 Hastings Handicap for older fillies and mares and ending closing day, Sept. 23, with the $65,000 Gottstein Futurity for 2-year-olds. Twenty-seven stakes are scheduled on Sundays including an Aug. 19 double-header of the $200,000 Longacres Mile for 3-year-olds and-up and the $65,000 Emerald Distaff for older fillies and mares at 1-1/8 miles.
Although the older horse division is traditionally the most glamorous, the well-balanced stakes schedule includes 10 events apiece for older horses and 3-year-olds, nine stakes for 2-year-olds and one for Quarter horses.
“We’re pleased to offer the same amount of stakes events and virtually the same total stakes money as last year,” said Emerald Downs President Ron Crockett. “The goal is to provide horsemen and owners ample opportunities for their horses.”
One of the premiere middle-distance events on the West Coast and the centerpiece of the 81-day meeting, the Longacres Mile headlines a star-studded August calendar that features seven stakes worth $545,000 and will decide championships in virtually every division.
The weekend of Saturday, Aug. 11 and Sunday, Aug. 12, features the meet’s best races for sophomores—the $65,000 Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies and the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby for 3-year-olds—both at 1-1/8 miles. And the 2-year-olds take the spotlight in the $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes for 2-year-old colts & geldings Saturday, Aug. 18, and the $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Sunday, Aug. 26. The latter two races have been shortened from one mile to 6-½ furlongs.
Washington Cup X, six races for Washington-breds worth $215,000 in purses, is Sunday, Sept. 9, culminating with the $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic for 3-year-olds and-up at 1-1/16-mile.
The June 24 race for older handicap runners has been renamed the $50,000 Coca-Cola Handicap at one mile and is the second stop for 3-year-olds and-up en route to the Longacres Mile. The Mile series begins Sunday, May 20 with the $50,000 Governor’s Handicap at 6-½ furlongs and includes the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1-1/16 miles on July 22.
Also renamed are the meet’s first two events for 2-year-olds—$25,000 Son of Briartic Stakes for fillies and $25,000 Slewdledo Stakes for colts and geldings—in honor of two of the finest sires in state history.
The Son of Briartic and Slewdledo at five furlongs will be run Sunday, July 1 and begin the seven-race Northwest Race Series for 2-year-olds that includes $135,000 in additional purse money.
The 81-day season, the 17th at Emerald Downs, begins Friday, April 13, with racing offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thursday racing is added July 12 to Aug. 23 and Monday holiday racing will be held May 28 and Sept. 3. There also will be special Tuesday racing on July 3 followed by the popular fireworks extravaganza.
2012 EMERALD DOWNS STAKES SCHEDULE
30 Stakes Total Gross: $1,585,000
DATE PURSE NAME
Sun May 13 $50,000 Hastings Handicap (3&UP F&M) 6F
Sun May 20 $50,000 Governor’s Handicap (3&UP) 6-½ F
Sun May 27 $50,000 Seattle Handicap (3YO F) 6-½ F
Sun June 3 $50,000 Auburn Handicap (3YO C&G) 6-½ F
Sun Jun 10 $50,000 WA State Legislators Stakes (3&UP F&M) 6-½ F
Sun Jun 17 $50,000 Budweiser Handicap (3&UP) 1M
Sun Jun 24 $50,000 Irish Day Handicap (3YO F) 1M
Sun Jun 24 $50,000 Coca-Cola Handicap (3YO C&G) 1M
Sun Jul 1 $25,000 NWSS Son of Briartic Stakes* (2YO F) 5F
Sun Jul 1 $25,000 NWSS Slewdledo Stakes* (2YO C&G) 5F
Sun Jul 8 $50,000 Boeing Handicap (3&UP F&M) 1M
Sun Jul 15 $50,000 Kent Handicap (3YO F) 1-1/16M
Sun Jul 15 $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap (3YO C&G) 1-1/16M
Sun July 22 $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap (3&UP) 1-1/16M
Sun July 29 $50,000 Premio Esmeralda* (2YO C&G) 6F
Sun Aug 5 $50,000 Angie C Stakes* (2YO F) 6F
Sat Aug 11 $65,000 Washington Oaks (3YO F) 1-1/8M
Sun Aug 12 $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby (3YO) 1-1/8M
Sat Aug 18 $50,000 WTBOA Lads Stakes* (2YO C&G) 6-½ F
Sun Aug 19 $65,000 Emerald Distaff (3&UP F&M) 1-1/8M
Sun Aug 19 $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) (3&UP) 1M
Sun Aug 26 $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes* (2YO F) 6-½ F
Mon Sep 2 $60,000 Bank of America Chmp Challenge** (3&UP) 440 Y
WA Cup X
Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Diane Kem Stakes (2YO F WA) 6F
Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Dennis Dodge Stakes (2YO C&G WA) 6F
Sun Sep 9 $35,000 John & Kitty Fletcher Stakes (3YO F WA) 1M
Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Chinook Pass Stakes (3YO C&G WA) 1M
Sun Sep 9 $35,000 Belle Roberts (3&UP F&M WA) 1-1/16M
Sun Sep 9 $40,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic (3&UP WA) 1-1/16M
Sun Sep 23 $65,000 Gottstein Futurity* (2YO) 1-1/16
*NORTHWEST RACE SERIES ($135,500)
**Quarter horse
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