5/9/2026
(Auburn, WA) Sunshine, light puffy clouds and warm Spring temperatures kicked off Mother’s Day weekend and day 2 of the 2026 season. What a difference a week makes with just 6 races and 28 horses on opening day to 8 races with 55 entries and after scratches a total of 50 breaking from the gate or an average of 6.25 per race compared to the 4.7 on opening day.
Horse Population is Growing
The 50 racing on Saturday some have come up from Turf Paradise who closed last Saturday but none of those horses are running a week later we noted one runner from April 26 at Turf is on today’s card but the horses riunning today needed that additional week to round into form after a very wet March that hampered the early training schedules of many that had been off for the winter.
There is expected to be an additional 200 or more horses coming from Turf Paradise so the race cards are already better this week and look to stabalize and likely be near the 61.6 starters per day and 7.4 runners per race.
Mother’s Day Weekend
Mother’s Day is being celebrated both today and on Mother’s Day Sunday with a special brunch which was sold out both days and special prize drawings for Mom. Big crowds kicked off the season with nearly 8,o00 in attendance on opening day and Mother’s Day weekend is continuing that trend with a sold out Mother’s Day buffet on Saturday and a good crowd for day 2.
Northern Ho
The jockey’s room was a little sparse last week to a full room a week later. Many packed up from Turf Paradise and headed north but one familiar name will not be coming back. Manuel Americano who broke his maiden here a couple of years ago and just missed winning the riding championship last year is headed to Minnesota to ride at Canterbury.
Meantime, one is coming back, after a solid year in his first and only season 3 years ago in Auburn, Karlo Lopez is back in the Northwest. Frank Alvarado also is back for a 2nd year along with former Emerald riding champ Frank Alvarado.
Kevin Orozco is here in Auburn but continues to recover from a shoulder injury and hopes to be back riding soon. Blake Nunnally who got his start at Emerald is in his 3rd year and coming off his best stretch yet wrapping up a full season at Turf Paradise where he went 38-45-48 from 308 mounts finishing 6th in the standings.
We caught up with Blake on his 1st day back at Emerald Downs after he took 2nd on 17-1 My Sweet Forza in the 1st race on Saturday. See our conversation below.
Krigger still the one to beat
Kevin Krigger won his 2nd Emerald Downs riding Championship last season and is off to a fast start taking two wins on Saturday’s card after winning 2 on opening day. His 2nd win in the 5th race on Ole’s Surprise was also #498 at Emerald Downs. Krigger has 1,256 career wins.
Krigger is the early leader with 4 wins followed by Adrian Castellanos who doubled on Saturday and has 3 wins while Silvio Amador is the only other rider with multiple wins in 3rd with 2.
Several break the Ice
Several riders got their 1st picture taken on Saturday including Isaias Enriquez, Frank Alvarado, Karlo Lopez and Francisco Diaz-Lopez all got win #1 of 2026.
McCanna closing in on big Emerald milestone
Trainer Tim McCanna was at the track on Saturday and in the winner’s circle once again for his 999th Emerald Downs victory. He picked up #999 in the 4th race with Princess Hekawi, his 3rd win from 4 starts and is the lone trainer with multiple wins.
McCanna trails only Frank Lucarelli in wins at Emerald Downs and has 10 training Championships at the Auburn track. He has a chanced to get win 1,000 on Sunday with one entry in the 8th and final race. McCanna will send out morning line favorite Janey with Kevin Krigger aboard. It would be quite the celebration if Krigger gets a win earlier on the card setting up that win to give him 500 and McCanna 1,000.
McCanna has 2,572 career wins heading into Sunday’s races.
Other Trainers get that 1st win
Many other conditioners got their 1st wins of the year including plenty of known names. The all-time Emerald leader Frank Lucarelli scored in the 2nd with My Vino, his 2,181st career win, Tom Wenzel scored in the feature, Scott Tubbs won the opener with Prowling Cat, defending trainer champ Jorge Rosales captured the 3rd race with Classic Cinema, Jose Navarro won the 6th with Bumping River and Steve Bulloock took the get-away race with Storm Harbor.
One other winner was Mark Cloutier getting his 1st win with Ole’s Surprise at Emerald Downs since winning the Muckleshoot Tribal Classic in September of 2019 with 3-2 Coulterberry. Cloutier has spent most of his career at Hastings Park but when Hastings closed this off-szeason Cloutier shifted his stable to Emerald Downs.
Cloutier is 1-0-1 from 2 starts and will be one newcomer to keep your eye on. He is off to a great start.
2025 Champions Honored
All the 2025 Champions were honored on Saturday and received their plaques. Leading owners, trainers, jockeys and more got together due to the crazy scramble at the end of last season. This was a chance for all the winners to get their just acknowledements.
7th Feature Race Michelob Ultra Purse
A field of 7 older fillies and mares went 5 1/2 furlongs in the second feature race of the season. Maximum Sparkle was bet down to 1-1 favoritism. Jockey Adrian Castellanos got the4-year-old out in great position fron the outside.
Hoping She Will under Lenny Seecharan took command from the rail with Army Knife and Blake Nunnally slicing through for 2nd, Maximum Sparkle settled into 3rd from the outside while Kir Royale and Alex Cruz was off a step slow but hurried to take the lead and set the first fraction of 22.32.
As they headed into the turn Kir Royale tried to separate but 5-2 Flash that Smile with Frank Alvarado did not let Kir Royale slip away as they clocked the half in 45.65.
Turning for home Kir Royale was all out and Flash that Smile got first run but Maximum Sparkle was measuring the pace and Castellanos said go . The duo powered up on the outside of Flash that Smile and exploded down the stretch to win by 81/4 lengths in a final time of 1:03.93.
Maximum Sparkle is owned by George Todaro and trained by Tom Wenzel. Todaro also bred Maximium Sparkle in Kentucky. Maximum Sparkle picked up her 2nd career win in her 13th start and is now 2-3-3 and earned $7,410 for the won pushing her caareer earnings to $48,540.
Flash that Smile ran a solid 2nd a length in front of 33-1 Army Knife who closed well on ‘Smile and was 3 lengths clear of 10-1 Above the Ordinary with Karlo Lopez getting the head in front of Kir Royale.
6 Maximum Sparkle (Castellanos) $4.36 $2.82 $2.44
5 Flash that Smile (Alvarado) $4.04 $3.46
2 Army Knife (Nunnally) $6.06
$1 Ex 6-5 $7.74
$1 Tri 6-5-2 $79.78
$1 Super6-5-2-3 $474.90
$1 Daily Double 4-6 $14.91
$1 Pick 3 2-4-6 $193.32
ESN talks with Trainer Tom Wenzel
Race Replay
The rest of Saturday’s Races
1st Race
The field of 5 went 5 1/2 furlongs with all 5 in a bunch as the 31-1 Immaciata went to the lead but would not be able to maintain the fractions of 23.22 and 47.10. 1-1 favorite All About Babes and Silvio Amador got first run and took the lead but 17-1 My Sweet Forza with Blake Nunnally was right to the outside and surged to the front inside the 1/8th pole.
Lurking behind waiting for an opening was 6-5 2nd choice Prowling Cat and Kevin Krigger. When a gap emerged Krigger on Cat said go and they pulled away for a clear win. My Sweet Forza held 2nd with Come Home and Karlo Lopez closing late to get 3rd and All about Babes completed the supedrfecta.
The winning time for Prowling Cat was 1:05.48. The 4-year-old gelding is owned and trained by Scott Tubbs.
3 Prowling Cat (Krigger) $4.60 $2.76 $2.22
6 My Sweet Forza (Nunnally) $7.78 $3.92
5 Come Home (Lopez) $3.20
$1 Ex 3-6 $18.51
$1 Tri 3-6-5 $43.08
$1 Super 3-6-5-4 $49.70
Race Replay
2nd Race
5 runners went 6 furlongs to wrap up the 1st daily double of the day. Street Gun 7-2 3rd choice went to the front but early on Saturday that is not where you wanted to be anbd would end up last. Late money came in on My Vino with Isaias Enriquez up and he and Vino were very patient and stuck to the rail waiting for the inside to open turning for home and that’s exactley what happened. My Vino burst to the front at the 1/8th pole and rolled to a 2 1/2 length win in a final time of 1:10.66. My Vino races for Todd Pedersen and trained by Frank Lucarrelli.
Fruit Lutes and Kevin Krigger ran a solid 2nd at 9-2, 2-1 Mr Executive with Karlo Lopez was 3rd and capping the too 4 Fortyshadesoftiger under Jose Rodriguez.
6 My Vino (Enriquez) $5.92 $3.06 $2.18
4 Fruit Lutes (Krigger) $5.42 $2.64
5 Mr Executive (Lopez) $2.20
$1 Ex 6-4 $19.02
$1 Tri 6-4-5 $48.80
$1 Super 6-4-5-2 $65.40
$1 Daily Double 3-6 $6.54
Race Replay
3rd Race
6 older horses went 5 1/2 furlongs and heavy favorite 2-5 Classic Cinema broke fast from the 6 hole and Adrian Castellanos wanted the lead and got pulling away to a 2-3 length lead. Classic Cinema set hot fractions of 21.96 and 44.89 and had plenty left for the stretch. Classic Cinema woin easily gate to wire in a final time of 1:03.13. Classic Cinema is owned by Eliana Thompson and trained by Jorge Rosales, giving last year’s training champion his first win of the year.
23-1 longshot Fraser Landing ran big for Pablo Castillo to take second, 3-1 Blazing Peme and Blake Nunnally ran an even 3rd with Bad Sneakers and Silvio Amador completing the superfecta.
6 Classic Cinema (Castellanos) $2.84 $2.46 $2.10
5 Fraser Landing (Castillo) $16.94 $5.06
3 Blazing Peme (Nunnally) $2.18
$1 Ex 6-5 $24.68
$1 Tri 6-5-3 $65.90
$1 Super 6-5-3-2 $147.50
$1 Daily Double 6-6 $7.28
$1 Pick 3 3-6-6 $13.86
Race Replay
4th Race
The field of 7 was reduced to 4 with 3 late scratches which also meant there would be no show wagering in this race. Business as Usual was a likely favorite or 2nd favorite and then Bourbon Tiger acted up at the gate and was scratched.
The betting public shifted to Bobby’s Genie with Adrian Castellanos and went off as the odds-on choice at 4-5. When the gates opened Bobby’s Genie broke well but immediate pressure from inside on the rail from 5-1 Princess Hekawi and Frank Alvarado. 9-5 A Real Jewel under Karlo Lopez held 3rd a length behind with 7-2 Coastal Girl and Silvio Amador trailing the short field.
After fractions of 21.75 and 44.76 it came down to Princess Hekawi and Bobby’s Genie in a match race the length of the stretch with the longest shot on the board getting the win by a neck in a final time of 1:05.37 for the 5 1/2 furlong sprint.
Princess Hekawi races for Royal Victory Thoroughbreds and Tim McCanna and trained by McCanna. This was McCanna’s 999th win at Emerald Downs.
2 Princess Hekawi (Alvarado) $13.82 $5.40 refund
4 Bobby’s Genie (Castellanos) $2.72 refund
5 A Real Jewel (Lopez) refund
$1 Ex 2-4 $26.52
$1 Tri 2-4-5 $34.82
$1 Super 2-4-5-7 $30.50
$1 Daily Double 6-2 $15.57
$1 Consolation Double 6-1/3 $1.49
$1 Pick 3: 6-6-2 $71.68
50-cent Pick 4: 3-1/6-6-2 $99.83
Race Replay
5th Race
7 maiden special weights went 5 1/2 furlongs and Silvio Amador got 9-5 favorite Lead the Charge to jump out to the early lead and cleared by a length while 3-1 Ole’s Surprise and Kevin Krigger sat in the catbird seat front the outside. 4-1 One Phil making his first career start under Isaias Enriquez broke even in 3rd and 5-2 Crossbone broke 4th for Adrian Castellanos and those 4 would remain the top 4 to the finish.
Turning for home Lead the Charge held a length lead when Krigger began to get after Ole’s Surprise and Ole responded grinding away and in the final 50 yards pushing past Lead the Charge for the neck victory. One Phil ran an optimistic 3rd and Crossbone and even 4th.
Ole’s Surprise stopped the clock in 1:03.26 and is owned by Ole Nielson and Dixie and Roy Jacobson and trained by Mark Cloutier. Nielsen was also the breeder of the BC bred.
2 Ole’s Surprise (Krigger) $8.26 $4.30 $3.08
7 Lead the Charge (Amador) $3.70 $2.34
8 One Phil (Enriquez) $3.30
$1 Ex 2-7 $11.60
$1 Tri 2-7-8 $58.52
$1 Super 2-7-8-4 $102.70
$1 Daily Double 2-2 $43.73
$1 Pick 3 6-2-2 $319.20
Race Replay
6th Race
6-5 morning line favorite Booster Club was scratched just minutes before post time shifting the betting public to Coconut Dreams with Silvio Amador in the irons. The pair broke fast to take the initial lead before ceding it to 7-2 Bumping River and Francisco Diaz-Lopez. River and Diaz-Lopez would stretch that advantage to a length and a half turning for home while setting numbers of 22.14 and 45.68.
Coconut Dreams had sat just behind for the trip and swung to the middle of the track to give it one more try but simply could not dig into that lead Bumping River built and finished with a 1 3/4 length cushion in a final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.47. 7-2 Savita and Alex Cruz rallied for 3rd with 4-1 Cantputapriceonfun and Taliyah Timentwa completed the superfecta.
Bumping River races for Clemans View Farm and trained by Jose Navarro. Bumping River is a Washington bred by Abraaj out of Goose Prairie by Nationhood and was bred by Clemans View Farm.
4 Bumping River (Diaz-Lopez) $9.92 $4.16 $2.80
6 Coconut Dreams (Amador) $2.98 $2.20
7 Savita (Cruz) $2.50
$1 Ex 4-6 $11.70
$1 Tri 4-6-7 $23.48
$1 Super 4-6-7-3 $36.30
$1 Daily Double 2-4 $19.38
$1 Consolation Double 2-8 $3.84
$1 Pick 3: 2-2-4 $454.70
50-cent Pick 4: 6-2-2-4 $757.94
Race Reply
8th Race
In the finale 7 maiden 3-year-old fillies went 5 furlongs and combined the field had just 2 races under the belts with 5 of them as first time starters. One with a race under her belt was Simply Smiles the 2-1 second choice with Silvio Amador and they got the call for the 1st lead of the race. 6-5 Storm Harbor with Karlo Lopez was off a step slow but quickly re-grouped and surged past Smiles to the lead down the backstretch with a 2 length advantage.
That gap grew as Storm Harbor extended it to a 5 length lead at the top of the stretch and cruised to an impressive 7+ length win in a final time of 56.87. Storm Harbor races for Gold Coast Racing IV and trained by Steve Bullock. The bay filly is a Washington bred by Barkley out of Harbor the Storm by Harbor the Gold and was bred by George Gilbert.
3-1 Girl at Home with Kevin Krigger rolled home in the stretch to snatch 2nd from Simply Smiles while Shes a Rare Beauty and Lenny Seecharan ran 4th and Roxie’s Secret with Jose Rodriguez completed the Super Hi 5.
6 Storm Harbor (Lopez) $4.78 $2.98 $2.22
5 Girl at Home (Krigger) $3.56 $2.28
2 Simply Smiles (Amador) $2.36
$1 Ex 6-5 $6.22
$1 Tri 6-5-2 $12.20
$1 Super 6-5-2-1 $34.90
$1 Daily Double 6-6 $8.34
$1 Pick 3: 4-6-6 $41.14
50-cent Pick 4: 2-4-6-6 $195.03
50-cent Pick 5: 2-2-4-6-6 $1,996.12
10-cent Pick 6: 6-2-2-4-6-6 $364.24
50-cent Super Hi 5: 6-5-2-1-3 $61.87
Race Replay
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