4/23/2025

(Auburn, WA) The opening day race card has been officially drawn. There will be 7 races run on Sunday, April 27 kicking off the 51-day 30th racing season. A total of 40 horses are set to start from the Emerald Downs starting gates with fields of 5 to 7. There are more horses on the grounds and the fields and number of races are expected to grow quickly especially after Turf Paradise wraps up their season on May 3rd. 

The 1st race of the year is a $2,500 claiming event with a field of 5 for 3-year-olds and older going 5 1/2-furlongs. 5-time riding Champ Alex Cruz will be aboard the 1 horse, Surprise Fashion, in the opener as he looks to extend his state record to 6 straight riding titles. The morning line has not yet been set for Sunday’s races.

The other races include an $8,000 claimer in the 2nd race for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2-furlongs, the 3rd race is another 8k claimer for 3-year-olds and up and will be the first two turn race of the season going 1-mile.

The 4th race is set to go 6-furlongs and has 6 fillies and mares entered for the $3,500 claiming tag. The 5th race is for 3-year-old maiden fillies at a $25,000 claiming price and they will shorten up going 5-furlongs. The 6th race will be the feature race more on that below and the 7th and final race has a field of 7 maiden 3-year-olds going 5-furlongs.

The 6th race will be the 1st Feature Race of the season and has a field of 6 fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up going 5 1/2-furlongs. The $10,000 claiming race will have a purse of $16,000. Here is the line-up for the opening day feature:

#   Horse                          Jockey                      Trainer                  Owner 
1   Don’t Tell Hydee          Alex Cruz                     Scott Tubbs             Ed Laney
2   Greatful Attitude         Kevin Orozco              Victor Trujillo         Martin, Paredes, Trujillo
3   Ready to Gig                 Francisco Duran        Jamey Thomas       Timothy O’Leary
4   Chrome’s Best Copy    Kevin Krigger             Tena Birdwell          Aaron Bresko
5   Crystal Proof                 Silvio Amador            Ruby Thomas          Ruby Thomas
6   Poker Alice                    Manuel Americano   Sergio Perez             Sergio Perez

Opening Day 1st race post time is 1:50pm. This year’s betting options are the traditional $2 win-Place-Show, $1 exacta, 50-cent trifecta, 10-cent superfecta, $1 rolling daily double, 50-cent pick 3, pick 4 and pick 5, 50-cent Super Hi 5 (pentafecta) in the final race only and the 20-cent Jackpot Pick 6.

For admission prices, seating packages, parking information, promotional calendar and other information click on the Emerald Downs link here.

www.elisportsnetwork.com