Emerald Downs has announced 21 stakes worth $1,245,000 in purses for its 2022 live racing season that begins Sunday, May 15.
The track's signature race, the Grade 3 Longacres Mile, has been boosted to $150,000 and anchors an Aug. 14 stakes quadruple-header also featuring the $75,000 Emerald Distaff, $75,000 Muckleshoot Derby, and $75,000 Washington Oaks. The purse for the Mile is $50,000 larger than last year while the Distaff, Derby and Oaks are all up $25,000 from 2021.
The older horse division begins with the $50,000 Budweiser Stakes (six furlongs) on Sunday, June 26, followed by the $50,000 Governor's Stakes (6 ½ furlongs) on Sunday, July 24, and the 87th running of the Longacres Mile.
The stakes schedule features six stakes twin bills, along with two quadruple-headers, and a closing day triple-header on Sunday, Sept. 18, featuring the $70,000 Gottstein Futurity, the track's top race for 2-year-olds.
The $50,000 Seattle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and $50,000 Auburn Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings kick off stakes action on Sunday, June 19.
Seven stakes are offered for 2-year-olds—three apiece for colts and geldings and fillies—climaxing with the Gottstein Futurity at a mile and one-sixteenth.
Washington Cup features four stakes—$50,000 Washington Cup Juvenile Colts & Geldings and $50,000 Washington Cup Juvenile Fillies on Sunday, Aug. 28; $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic and $50,000 Washington Cup Fillies & Mares on Sunday, Sept. 18. Both 2-year-old races are restricted to Washington-breds while the older horse events are open to both Washington and British Columbia-breds.
In addition to 21 Thoroughbred stakes, Emerald Downs offers two stakes races for Quarter Horses—$30,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship for 2-year-olds at 350 yards and the 12th running of the $40,000 Bank of America Emerald Championship Challenge for 3-year-olds and up at 440 yards.
Opening day for the 2022 season is Sunday, May 15. The 52-day meet concludes Sunday, Sept. 18.
2022 EMERALD DOWNS STAKES SCHEDULE
Date. . . . . .Stakes. . . . . .Distance. . . . . .Purse
Sun June 19 Seattle Stakes (3YOF) 6F $50,000
Sun June 19 Auburn Stakes (3YO) 6F $50,000
Sun June 26 Hastings Stakes (3&UP F&M) 6F $50,000
Sun June 26 Budweiser Stakes (3&UP) 6F $50,000
Sun July 10 Angie C Stakes (2YOF) 5 ½ F $50,000
Sun July 10 King County Express (2YO C&G) 5 ½ F $50,000
Sun July 17 Kent Stakes (3YOF) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun July 17 Irish Day Stakes (3YO) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun July 24 Governor's Stakes (3&UP) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun July 24 WA State Legislators Stakes (3&UP F&M) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun Aug 7 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes (2YOF) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun Aug 7 WTBOA Lads Stakes (2YO C&G) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun Aug 14 Muckleshoot Derby (3YO) 1 1/16 M $75,000
Sun Aug 14 Washington Oaks (3YOF) 1 1/16 M $75,000
Sun Aug 14 Emerald Distaff (3&UP F&M) 1 1/16 M $75,000
Sun Aug 14 Longacres Mile (G3) (3&UP) 1M $150,000
Sun Aug 28 Bank of America Emerald Downs Challenge** (3&UP) 440Y $40,000
Sun Aug 28 John Deere Juvenile Challenge** (2YO) 350Y $30,000
Sun Aug 28 Washington Cup Juvenile Filly (2YOF WA) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun Aug 28 Washington Cup Juvenile Colts & Geldings (2YO WA) 6 ½ F $50,000
Sun Sept 18 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic* (3& UP) 1 1/16 M $50,000
Sun Sept 18 Washington Cup Filly & Mare Stakes* (3&UP F&M) 1 1/16 M $50,000
Sun Sept 18 Gottstein Futurity (2YO) 1 1/16 M $70,000
*Washington & British Columbia bred
**Quarter Horse
The post Emerald Downs Boosts Purse For Longacres Mile To $150,000 In 2022 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
