8/21/2025

Last Saturday the 2025 Washington Hall of Fame class was inducted prior to the live racing. This year 4 honorees were awarded the highest distinction in Washington State racing. The event was hosted by Emerald Downs’ Director of Publicity, Joe Withee. We’ve also included each of the inductee’s video presentation and all were narrated by Bob Rondeau.

Horse Wasserman

Wasserman rates among the most popular racehorses in state history. Bred in 2002, the Washington-bred by Cahill Road-Share the Knight retired as Emerald Downs’ all-time leading earner in 2013 with $575,024. Owned, trained and bred by Howard Belvoir, Wasserman won four stakes in a magical 2008 campaign—all photo finishes—topped by a $22.40 score in the Longacres Mile in which Jennifer Whitaker became the first woman rider to win the region’s biggest race. “Wassy” raced 72 times at the Auburn oval compiling a 13-13-13 mark with six stakes victories.

Wasserman with Jennifer Whitaker aboard paraded into the winner’s circle giving the fans another look at this icon. Wasserman famously loves people and loves to be around the race track and remains stabled in the Belvoir barn during the season. Whitaker says the 23-year-old still gets excited about going to the track for a jog. Withee added at one of the recent Breakfast at the Wire events, Wasserman made an appearance and lapped up the attention.

Vicki Potter spoke for Belvoir as he has been dealing with some medical issues but was at the event. Potter and Belvoir have been together for years and Potter started the Rising Star stables that Belvoir trained for. Potter said, “Wasserman wasn’t the fastest but no horse had a bigger heart. He competed and did not like to lose and always seemedd to find a little bit more. He is simply very special.”

Belvoir said “Vicki said it perfectly”, and he wasn’t about to miss this event. We got a chance to talk with Belvoir after the ceremony and he was pleased to know that he and Wasserman are in the Hall of Fame together, our interview is below.

Wasserman is the 23rd horse to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

ESN talks with Hall of Fame Trainer Howard Belvoir

Wasserman’s Hall of Fame Induction Video

Trainer Mark Glatt

Mark Glatt, who grew up just minutes from Emerald Downs, has developed into one of the top conditioners in Southern California where currently he resides atop the trainers’ standings at Santa Anita. The son of renowned Washington trainer Ron Glatt, Mark Glatt has amassed over 1,300 career wins, more than $51 million in earnings, and scored 31 graded wins including Grade 1s with Dr. Schivel and Collusion Illusion.

Glatt had most of his family with him, including his Dad and plenty of friends. Glatt grew up in the golden age of racing and worked from a young age on the backstretch of Longacres. You knew Glatt had an idea of what he was doing right from the start. Glatt became a licensed trainer in 1994 in Yakima. His first win came in his 11th start in the Miss Yakima Handicap, a black type stakes.

15-1 Northwest Storm, owned by Theiline Scheuman, had Mike Allen aboard and sat 6th early in the one mile race and was within a length of the leader turning for home. Allen and Northwest Storm, a Kentucky bred, then drew off to win by 3 lengths. I. B. Forty at 10-1 was 2nd with Pedro Alavarado and Gary Baze ran 3rd on 8-1 Good Lord Barbie. The young Glatt’s win came against some pretty heavy hittering trainers in NW racing at the time such as Carl Baze, Dennis Ward, Clint Roberts and a young Charlie Essex.

In 2019, Glatt returned home to capture the Longacres Mile at Emerald downs with Law Abidin Citizen for owners Dan Agnew, Gerry Schneider and Joihn Xitco. Once againi, Glatt’s runner was not the favorite at 6-1 but with jockey Abel Cedillo in the saddle sat 3rd trailing odds-on choice Anyportinastorm and Juan Hernandez trained by Blaine Wright. Turning for home Those two wouold pair off and then have to hold off a fast closing Restrainedvengence with Keving Krigger at 26-1 for trainer Val Brinkerhoff. As they hit the wire Law Abidin Citizen had his head in front over the other two.

Glatt again defeated some pretty big time conditioners such as Washington Hall of Famer’s Frank Lucarelli and Tim McCanna along with Wright and Kay Cooper. But as he was now an invader he too took down other visiting trainers in Michael Maker, John Sadler and John Snow. It was a great homecoming for Glatt 25 years after beginninbg his training career.

Glatt became the 21st trainer inducted into the Washington Hall of Fame.

Glatt’s Hall of Fame Induction Video

Owner Paskey Dedomenico

A giant in business with Golden Grain (Rice-a-Roni), Paskey Dedomenico cast an even bigger shadow in Washington racing. During a 20-year period beginning with the first WTBA Sale in 1968, Dedomenico bought more horses than any buyer in the state including three sales toppers. Using a slew of trainers, Dedomenico runners were a force on the track, including runners such as Longacres and British Columbia Derby winner Irish Bear, Gottstein Futurity champ Sing a Roni, and homebred Washington 3-year-old filly champion Heather Ala Roni.

Heather Ala Roni was named after his wife. Dedomenico’s son, Dr Mark Dedomenico, became as big a force in NW Racing as his father and is already in the Washington Hall of Fame with a lifetime achievement award. Mark followed in his father’s footsteps when it came to horse racing.

Paskey Dedomenico was used to stepping into big situations when he took over his family’s Golden Grain business at the age of 22 building it into the empire it is to this day. The Washington Hall of Fame added the owner’s category this year and Paskey Dedomenico is the 1st honored in the new category.

Paskey Dedomenico’s Hall of Fame Induction Video

Breeder Ron and Nina Hagen El Dorado Farms

Ron and Nina Hagen’s El Dorado Farms have reigned as Washington’s leading breeder eight times including 2024. The Hagens bred state champions Freight Line, Coastal Kid, Slew the Man, Knight Raider and Dutton, the latter voted 2020 Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting.

The Hagen’s were famously married on horse back and covered by much of the local media. The couple then aquired acreage in Enumclaw and established El Dorado Farms. The Hagen’s have had some of the top studs at the Farm such as Basket Weave, Cahill Road and now Barkley stands at El Dorado and is off to a great start as a stud.

El Dorado has had two of the three stallions who have sired multiple Longacres Mile Champions. Basket Weave produced Want a Winner and L J Express while Cahill Road was the father of The Great Face and Wasserman.

The Hagen’s have had a strong broodmare roster as well such as Moscow Symphony and her daughter Irene’s Bonus Baby both producing 10 winner’s with Irene foaling 10 and all winners.

The Hagen’s El Dorado Farms are the 19th inductees in the Breeders category.

The Hagen’s Hall of Fame Induction Video

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