9/18/2024
(Auburn, WA) The annual Post-Season Awards were handed out yesterday by the Emerald Downs media staff and 2-year-old filly Precise Timing took Horse of the Year Honors with a 3-0 record all Stakes wins. Jockey Alex Cruz came in as the 4 time defending riding champ anbd refused to give in and racked up #5 in a row adding to his already state record setting run.
Justin Evans repeated as the top trainer with a huge advantage winning 63 races including the final 3 on closing day beginning with 32-1 Colonel Ludlow in the Gottstein Futurity. Evans finished with the highest win percent in track history at 32%. Evans also team with Jeff Rakoczy of Rakoczy Racing to be leading owner with 17 wins.
Emerald Downs Media Director Vince Bruun has more on the Post Season awards in his post here with a full list of awards and winners for the 2024 and 29th season in Emerald history.
AUBURN, Wash. (Sept. 17, 2024) – Precise Timing, Alex Cruz, and Justin Evans were the big winners as Emerald Downs’ wrapped up its 29th season of live racing Sunday afternoon.
Precise Timing—undefeated with three stakes wins—was voted 2024 Horse of the Meeting, becoming only the fourth 2-year-old and the first 2-year-old filly to win the track’s top award. She also took honors as Top 2-Year-Old Filly and Top Washington Bred.
A dark bay by Dialed In-Peaceful Nation, Precise Timing was bred by Rick and Debbie Pabst, owned by Blue Ribbon Racing 23, trained by Kay Cooper, and ridden by Kevin Orozco. Precise Timing was the meet’s lone triple stakes winner and finished No. 1 in earnings with $91,050. She’s the eighth Washington Bred in 11 years voted Horse of the Meeting.
Jockey Alex Cruz enjoyed yet another stellar season, leading in wins (64) and earnings ($847,354) and winning a record fifth straight riding title. Cruz, 31, becomes the first jockey in state history with five consecutive titles at the same track.
Justin Evans was the dominant trainer, taking his second straight title with 63 wins and amassing the highest win percentage (32.4) of any leading trainer in Emerald Downs history. His win total is sixth highest in track history, and his 1.14 average wins per card is second highest in track history.
Evans also was the meet’s leading owner—teaming with Jeff Rakoczy for 17 wins—and trained four of the meet’s top horses: Arma d’Oro (Top Handicap Horse), Neiman (Top Sprinter), Surprsinglyperfect (Top Claimer), and Colonel Ludlow (Top 2-Year-Old Colt or Gelding).
Tom Wenzel led all trainers with five stakes wins and conditioned a pair of champions: Aloha Breeze (Top Older Filly or Mare), Lapush (Top 3-Year-Old Filly). Aloha Breeze won the Washington State Legislators Stakes and Emerald Distaff by 17 ¾ lengths and is the first filly or mare in Emerald Downs history to win titles at ages 2, 3, and 4. A 4-year-old by The Factor owned by George Todaro, Aloha Breeze is 7-1-0 in 10 career starts at Emerald Downs with five stakes victories and $183,250 in earnings.
Carlos Montalvo, regular rider on Aloha Breeze and Lapush, was the meet’s leading stakes rider.
Dynamic Secret, 2 3/4-length winner of the Muckleshoot Derby, was voted Top 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding.
The 89th running of the Longacres Mile won by Five Star General was 2024 Race of the Meeting. Owned by Ken Alhadeff, trained by Grant Forster, and ridden by Joe Bravo, Five Star General caught Clovisconnection in the final jump to become only the fifth two-time Mile winner and posting a fifth straight top three finish in the state’s biggest race.
Coast Guard was the meet’s leading sire with 20 wins, one ahead of perennial kingpin Harbor the Gold.
Claiming activity was hot and heavy throughout the season with a record 264 horses red-tagged for an aggregate $1,849,250, eclipsing the former mark of 242 set in 2019.
Emerald Downs 2024 Season Honors
Horse of Meeting: Precise Timing
Washington-bred: Precise Timing
Older Horse: Arma d’Oro
Older Filly or Mare: Aloha Breeze
3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Dynamic Secret
3-Year-Old Filly: Lapush
2-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Colonel Ludlow
2-Year-Old Filly: Precise Timing
Sprinter: Neiman
Claimer: Surprsinglyperfect
Race of Meeting: Longacres Mile (Five Star General)
Leading Jockey Wins: Alex Cruz, 64
Leading Jockey Stakes Wins: Carlos Montalvo, 4
Leading Jockey Earnings: Alex Cruz, $847,354
Leading Apprentice Jockey: Manuel Americano, 16
Leading Trainer: Justin Evans, 63
Leading Trainer Stakes Wins: Tom Wenzel, 5
Leading Trainer Earnings: Justin Evans, $835,574
Leading Owner: Rakoczy Racing LLC and Justin Evans, 17
Leading Owner Earnings: Rakoczy Racing LLC and Justin Evans, $211,283
Leading Horse Wins: tie-Mary Walker and Surprsinglyperfect, 4
Leading Horse Stakes Wins: Precise Timing, 3
Leading Horse Earnings: Precise Timing, $91,050
Riding Achievement: Alex Cruz first in Washington history with five consecutive titles
Training Achievement: Justin Evans record single-season win percentage while winning second straight title
Martin Durkan Award: Miguel Hernandez, Anne Wisdom
Lindy Award: Luis Reyes
Leading Sire Wins: Coast Guard, 20
Claims: 264 for aggregate $1,849,250
Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting
2024-Precise Timing (WA)
2023-Slew’s Tiz Whiz (WA)
2022– Slew’s Tiz Whiz (WA)
2021-Top Executive (KY)
2020-Dutton (WA)
2019-Anyportinastorm (FL)
2018-Sippin Fire (WA)
2017-Mach One Rules (WA)
2016-O B Harbor (ORE)
2015-Stryker Phd (WA)
2014-Stryker Phd (WA)
2013-Herbie D (BC)
2012-Class Included (KY)
2011-Noosa Beach (WA)
2010-Noosa Beach (WA)
2009-Assessment (KY)
2008-Wasserman (WA)
2007-The Great Face (WA)
2006-Flamethrowintexan (FL)
2005-No Giveaway (WA)
2004-Demon Warlock (WA)
2003-Youcan’ttakeme (WA)
2002-Flying Notes (KY)
2001-Makors Mark (WA)
2000-Edneator (WA)
1999-No Curfew (WA)
1998-Wild Wonder (KY)
1997-Kid Katabatic (BC)
1996-Name for Norm (WA)
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