5/10/2026
(Auburn, WA) Sunday was Mother’s Day and another large crowd on hand to celebrate at the track. Emerald Downs hosted a Mother’s Day Brunch on both Saturday and Sunday and both days were sold out. The Emerald promotions crew also drew 5 winners of gift cards and more each day totaling more than $1,000.
The Race Card
Fans were treated to 8 races with the 5th race being named the Feature race of the day. A field of fillies and mares went 5 1/2 furlongs. There was a 2nd sub feature in the 7th race with 6 older runners going 1 mile. The race featured the comeback of two familiar faces. Trainer Mike Puhich was back after dealing with serious health issues culminating in a kidney transplant. Puhich started his first runner since the transplant and it was 2021 Longacres Mile Champion Background in a starter allowance race.
You can read how both featured races finished below and watch the race replays.
Jockey News: Krigger off Mounts cost him potential double honor
Last year’s jockey Champion and early leader this season Kevin Krigger rode one race on Sunday and then took off the rest of his mounts. Krigger was not feeling well and does not appear to be serious. Krigger is expected back next weekend.
Krigger began on Sunday 2 shy of 500 wins at Emerald Downs. After his mount in the 2nd he took off 6 rides including Eyelight in the 3rd who won and Janey in the 8th who also won. Had the same scenario played out and Krigger had won with Janey that would have been his 500th career win at Emerald Downs while giving trainer Tim McCanna his 1,000th victory. (See Tim McCanna story below.)
Krigger’s other rides Backburner, Convey to Me and Background all ran 2nd so Krigger, had he not gotten sick, was likely sitting on a minimum 2 win day.
Seecharan gets 1st Emerald win
One of the newcomers to Emerald Downs is a long time Hastings veteran, Lenny Seecharan. With the closing of Hastings Park, the Hastings folks have had to scatter and Emerald was a spot for Seecharan and several trainers.
Seecharan got his first win at Emerald Downs on Sunday piloting 9-1 Cause for Divorce from nearly last to a well timed come from behind win scorching past the all the front speed and stalkers for a 1 1/2 length win. Seecharan and Cause for Divorce also are the high $2 win pay on the season so far paying his supporters $20.94, the only $20+ return so far this season.
Karlo Lopez triples, Alex Cruz doubles
Karlo Lopez was the first to triple in a day when he took the 5th race on Sharp Ride, the 7th on Afjan and Janey in the 8th.
Alex Cruz, who won the riding title 5 years in a row until he finished 3rd last season got his 1st and 2nd wins of the season. Cruz won the opener on Great Runner and then found victory again in the 3rd on Eyelight.
Both riders benefitted from Krigger having to take off his rides as both picked up wins as replacement riders. Cruz went wire-to-wire with Eyelight in the 3rd and also took 2nd on Background in the 7th. Lopez won the finale on Janey which also gave trainer Tim McCanna his 1,000th Emerald win.
Barn News: Tim McCanna wins #1,000 at Emerald Downs
Trainer Tim McCanna came into the day sitting on 999 wins at Emerald Downs and had one chance to hit 1,000 with a single entry in the 8th and final race. Janey was a 4 year-old first time starter but was the morning line favorite. Then after the 2nd race the rider McCanna had named to ride, Kevin Krigger, took off all his mounts.
McCanna had to scramble for a replacement and Karlo Lopez was available and took the mount. At the break of the 5 1/2 furlongs it looked Janey as the 2-1 favorite was truly a 1st timer trying to figure out what was going. Lopez hung in with her and got her into the race and she came flying late to win 3/4’s of a length and McCanna had win #1,000 at Emerald Downs, second only to Frank Lucarelli’s nearly 1,200 wins. McCanna and Lucarelli are now the only trainers with 1,000 or more wins in Auburn.
McCanna entered the season with 996 wins and took just 3 days to win the 4 he needed to get to 1k. He did so by entering just 5 and is the early leader in the trainer standings with 4 wins at an 80% rate.
For his career, McCanna now has 2,574 wins, 2,340 2nds and 2,095 3rds from 14,830 starts for a 17% win rate and 47% top 3 finish. His career earnings top 26.5-million. McCanna is in the Washington Hall of Fame and is a 10 time training champion. Poker Brad was McCanna’s top horse ever at Emerald Downs who got him the closest to winning the Longacres Mile with a 2nd place finish in 2003.
Joe Withee interviews Tim McCanna after win 1,000
Luis Ruiz breaks the ice!
Trainer Luis Ruiz came into the 2026 season as a licensed trainer with a grand total of 1 race under his belt from back in 2022. Ruiz clearly needed more time before taking the step to running his own barn and he is off to a great start. Ruiz has started 5 runners over the 3 days of racing and has not been worse than 3rd place.
On Sunday Ruiz got his 1st win in the 2nd race with Whiskeythenwine. Ruiz trained one of the horses from the Bonnie Jenne barn. Jenne passed away last year after a long battle with cancer. Jenne’s Friendship Stable still owns Whiskeythenwine with her daughter Kandie Jennings continuing the Friendship stable’s legacy along with one of Jenne’s partner owners Craig Fredrickson.
Prior to Sunday, Ruiz had run one 3rd and three 2nd’s in 4 races all with different horses. Getting his first win for the green and gold colors of the Friendship stable had to be an extra special win for Ruiz. Ruiz is now 1-3-1 from 5 starts. Congrats Luis!
Rosales and Gibson get win #2, other get 1st picture taken
Both Jorge Rosales and Howard Gibson picked up their 2nd win of the season becoming the 2nd and 3rd conditioners with more than 1 win. McCanna leads with 4.
Along with Ruiz, Dan Markle, Debbie Peery, Alan Bozell and Shelly Crowe all got their 1st wins of 2026. So far 17 trainers have logged wins.
Let’s get to the Races!
5th Race Feature Race The Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse
(By Vince Bruun)
Sharp Ride delivered a dazzling performance in her Emerald Downs’ debut Sunday, romping home by 5 ½ lengths in the $25,000 Muckleshoot Casino Resort Purse for fillies and mares.
Ridden by Karlo Lopez, the 6-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride covered 5 ½ furlongs in a meet-best 1:03.01, returning $5.16 for a $2 win ticket.
Trained by Debbie Peery for owner/breeder Harris Farms Inc., Sharp Ride is 6 for 13 with earnings of $167,490. Sunday’s triumph was worth $14,250.
Above Average, ridden by Silvio Amador, rallied inside to finish second while Miss Dynamic, the even-money favorite ridden by Jose Rodriguez, held third. Simply Gracious and Platinum Diva rounded out the order of finish.
3 Sharp Ride (Lopez) $5.16 $3.54 $2.10
1 Above Average (Amador) $4.52 $2.34
5 Miss Dynamic (Rodriguez) $2.10
$1 Ex 3-1 $9.15
$1 Tri 3-1-5 $17.40
$1 Super 3-1-5-4 $35.70
$1 Daily Double 6-3 $9.81
$1 Pick 3 1-6-3 $18.36
Race Replay
The rest of Sunday’s Races
1st Race
Great Runner was making his 2nd start of the season after running an even 3rd on opening day. Alex Cruz and Great Runner broke a step slow but also wanted to get off the rail and Cruz stalked the leaders Toppers at Seaside and Blake Nunnally and Roll Dem Bones with Silvio Amador.
Just before the far turn Great Runner and Cruz split runners to surge to the lead while Olympic Legend and Adrian Castellanos ranged up on the outside. Those two would go on with it and Great Runner had plenty left to hold off Olympic Legend. Jullian in Paris with Isaias Enriquez closed late to bed 3rd. Roll Dem Bones held 4th.
Great Runner is owned by Steve Haahr and Eliana Thompson and ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.78
1 Great Runner (Cruz) $8.22 $3.76 $2.38
3 Olympic Legend (Castellanos) $3.42 $2.34
4 Jullian in Paris (Enriquez) $2.38
$1 Ex 1-3 $10.92
$1 Tri 1-3-4 $16.08
$1 Super 1-3-4-2 $33.80
Race Replay
2nd Race
A field of 6 maidens went 5 1/2 furlongs. Count Dalia with Alex went to the front with Om by Dark and Karlo Lopez sitting right behind and the duo would set the fractions going 21.89 and 44.87. Turning for home Om by Drk pulled away and had a 3 length lead and looked to have the race in hand.
But 1-1 Whiskeythenwine and Silvio Amador had been sitting behind the front end battle and swung to the middle of the track catching Om by Dark in the final 25 yards to get the win by a 1/2 length in a final time of 1:04.04. Count Dalia held 3rd and Flight Ryder with Adrian Castellanos completed the superfecta.
Whiskeythenwine races for the Friendship Stable and Craig Fredrickson and trained by Luis Ruiz. Whiskeythenwine is a Washington bred by Tapiture out of El Bell Camp by Munnings and was bred by Rick Kessler and Claudia Canouse.
1 Whiskeythenwine (Amador) $4.30 $2.72 $2.12
5 Om by Dark (Lopez) $3.62 $2.80
4 Count Dalia (Cruz) $3.00
$1 Ex 1-5 $6.11
$1 Tri 1-5-4 $20.50
$1 Super 1-5-4-2 $40.50
$1 Daily Double 1-1 $6.49
Race Replay
3rd Race
5 fillies and mares went 5 1/2 furlongs and Eyelight with Alex Cruz broke fast from the rail and was joined by Lula Bella and Blake Nunnally and that pair drew off to a 4 length advantage over Gi Gis Map under Adrian Castellanos and betting favorite Flyin By with Silvio Amador.
Eyelight and Lula Bella set early fractions of 21.42 and 44.42. As they approached the 1/4 pole Cruz and Eyelight kicked clear as Lula Bella would trail off to 4th. Eyelight extended her lead easily holding off Flyin By who passed Gi Gis Map for the place while Gi Gi finished an even 3rd. The final time was 1:04.05.
Eyelight is owned by Bruce Cudahy and trained by Dan Markle. Eyelight is a Washington bred by Atta Boy Roy out of Bikini Beach by Harbor the Gold and was bred by Bruce Cudahy.
1 Eyelight (Cruz) $5.78 $2.84 $2.10
4 Flyin By (Amador) $2.72 $2.10
3 Gi Gis Map (Castellanos) $2.28
$1 Ex 1-4 $5.60
$1 Tri 1-4-3 $14.14
$1 Super 1-4-3-2 $47.20
$1 Daily Double $6.40
$1 Pick 3: 1-1-1 $10.43
Race Replay
4th Race
7 older fillies and mares went 6 furlongs and Clubhouse Drama knocked out any quibbling blowing away the field by nearly 7 lengths in a gate to wire run. Adrian Castellanos took the mystery away early and led by 5 lengths heading for home before stretching that lead even more in a final time of 1:09.59. Clubhouse Drama races for Drama Racing Stable and trained by Howie Gibson.
There wasn’t much of a race for any placings as 6-5 favorite Bakburner and Alex Cruz closed up to be 2nd by 4 1/2 lengths, Lucy L and Pablo Castillo had a 3 length lead over Ready to Gig and Taliyah Timentwo for 3rd and 4th.
6 Clubhouse Drama (Castellanos) $6.84 $3.30 $2.74
7 Bakburner (Cruz) $2.74 $2.48
4 Lucy L (Castillo) $5.02
$1 Ex 6-7 $7.55
$1 Tri 6-7-4 $42.16
$1 Super 6-7-4-2 $206.70
$1 Daily Double 1-6 $9.73
$1 Pick 3: 1-1-6 $12.68
50-cent Pick 4: 1-1-1-6 $57.19
Race Replay
6th Race
The first $20+ $2 win pay was recorded along with jockey Lenny Seecharan’s 1st win at Emerald Downs when Seecharan guided Cause for Divorce from well back with an over the top closing kick to roll by 2-1 favorite Convey to Me and Silvio Amador the length plus win in a time of 1:04.24. The top two were well clear of 3rd place Got Your Six with Alex Cruz with Tavernelle under Jose Rodriguez taking 4th.
Cause for Divorce races for James Nunnally and trained by Alan Bozell. Bozell got his 1st win of the season.
5 Cause for Divorce (Seecharan) $20.94 $6.82 $3.58
7 Convey to Me (Amador) $3.98 $2.78
4 Got Your Six (Cruz) $3.42
$1 Ex 5-7 $40.47
$1 Tri 5-7-4 $240.78
$1 Super 5-7-4-3 $1,277.80
$1 Daily Double 3-5 $35.02
$1 Pick 3: 6-3-5 $57.86
50-cent Pick 4: 1-6-3-5 $187.98
Race Reply
7th Race
The field of 6 older runners went 1-mile in a starter allowance race in a well matched race. 6-5 Baby Waylon with Adrian Castellanos led for much of the race but could not sustain the run fading to 4th. This left open a 3-way battle between 3 7-2 shots including Background who won the 2021 Longacres Mile in spectacular fashion.
Background ran hard and closed well on the rail to get 2nd but a nice stretch run from Afjan and Karlo Lopez was too much and he held off Background by a little more than a length, Background was a clear 2nd and I’m Noble with Silvio Amador took 3rd by a neck over Baby Waylon.
Afjan is owned by Joseph Budinich and trained by Shelly Crowe in a final time of 1:36.62.
6 Afjan (Lopez) $9.50 $4.28 $2.74
2 Background (Cruz) $3.94 $2.88
5 I’m Noble (Amador) $2.70
$1 Ex 6-2 $18.92
$1 Tri 6-2-5 $40.68
$1 Super 6-2-5-1 $75.60
$1 Daily Double 5-6 $34.70
$1 Pick 3: 3-5-6 $96.82
Race Replay
8th Race
In the finale, it was a field of 8 maiden fillies and mares going 5 1/2 furlongs. Two were first time starters including Janey who is trained by Tim McCanna. McCanna was shooting for his 1,000th Emerald Downs win and after doing an interview likely got many bettors to back the firster. Out of the gate Karlo Lopez tried to keep Janey engaged but down the backstretch as the 2-1 favorite.
5-2 2nd choice Denada with Taliyah Timentwa led out of the gate and turning for home had denied all challengers. But from the far outside and from far back Janey was quickly figuring out what Lopez wanted her to do and she hit her best stride at the 1/8th pole and caught Denada 50 yards from the fiinish line and pulled away for the 3/4 length victory handing #1,000 to McCanna. Ellen Lester is the owner and Janey is a Washingt0n bred by Hit it a Bomb out of Muchas Coronas by Macho Uno and was bred by Frededrick and Debbie Pabst.
5-2 Circle of Fire with Silvio Amador took 3rd, My Eliana and Adrian Castellanos was 4th and finsishing the Super Hi 5 was Con Leche with Alex Cruz.
4 Janey (Lopez) $6.38 $3.58 $2.80
7 Denada (Timentwa) $3.98 $3.06
3 Circle of Fire (Amador) $2.36
$1 Ex 4-7 $12.48
$1 Tri 4-7-3 $24.26
$1 Super 4-7-3-5 $72.10
$1 Daily Double 6-4 $16.08
$1 Pick 3: 5-6-4 $137.60
50-cent Pick 4: 3-5-6-4 $182.15
50-cent Pick 5: 6-3-5-6-4 $954
10-cent Pick 6: 1-6-3-5-6-4 $330.88
50-cent Super Hi 5: 4-7-3-5-6 $41.91
Race Reply
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