Kill Racing Not Horses

Native American tribe owns Emerald Downs & a nearby casino, but track continues to struggle:
"the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe has owned Emerald for the past 12 yrs since Crockett & his other original partners sold out".

“Handle's down 15% from last yr. Horse count is down 32%. We have 692 horses versus 915 [and] starters are down 21%. Total starters are 997 versus 1,259 ...

“Our average field size is 6.19 compared to 7.32. That is a shocking thing. But this is the most shocking number: Last year, this time, we had 15 races that went with [as few as] five horses. This year, 56."

Emerald Downs Founder to Anxious Horsepeople: 'You're Hurting and I Get It' Emerald Downs founder Ron Crockett offers Washington state horse people hope as track cuts down due to small fields

" produced the most adverse findings with 28, including 21 at Tampa Bay Downs, Inc. . followed with 20, all at Turf Paradise Race Course (under new mgt), then with 16 at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course & with 11 at Sunland Park."
Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit-HIWU

www.horseracingnation.com

"yr over yr, betting handle was down 15% & the horse population on the Emerald Downs backstretch was down 32%, with avg field size down from 7.32 horses per race to 6.19. ... 56 fields with 5 or fewer horses this yr, compared to 15 at this pt last yr."

Emerald to drop four August dates due to horse population, declining handle The Washington Horse Racing Commission on Monday approved a request from Emerald Downs to drop four days of racing in August, with track president Phil Ziegler advocating for the move as a necessary antidote to dwindling horse population and handle.

"Emerald Downs president Phil Ziegler told the commission that the horse population is down 32 percent compared to 2025"

The bump in racehorse population from the cessation of in Northern in 2025 didn't last. Back to reality for Emerald Downs.

Emerald Downs Receives Approval To Reduce August Race Days Track president Phil Ziegler told the Washington Horse Racing Commission that the horse population is down 32 percent compared to 2025

“Between the last ever day of racing at Aqueduct & all the goodbyes from TVG/FanDuel personnel as the network cuts back on its on-site & studio production, June 28, 2026, will be a date which will live in infamy for racing fans.”
Ray Paulick, Paulick Report

2nd of 3 weekends of the “Los Angeles Co. Fair Meet” in Orange Co. at Los Alamitos Race Course =
Wagering handle DOWN 18.6% on 1 fewer race than 2025.
Avg Field Size = 6.6 vs 7.6 in 2025.
(Row 7)

Only TB racing in