5/31/2026

(Auburn, WA) The 10th race day of the season is also the final day for May and was Grandparents Day. There was some great racing action from the “I can still do it” crowd, video below.

The racing from the 4 legged variety was also fun with all favorites for the first 6 races and then completely flipping in the 7th race where 15-1 Corn Pop is the biggest upset of the season so far and triggered the 10-cent pick 6 pay-off to a single ticket hogging the 13k pot.

We’ll begin with the Grandparents races followed by the 9 thoroughbred races.

Grandparents Races

There were 3 separate races this year, the Grandma’s. Grandpa’s and a race for all Great Grandparents. Two Grandpa’s ate some dirt, One Grandma bit it just before the finish line but ZERO Great Grandparents went down. This after the Emerald downs Promo department asked for the Great Grandparents to walk or light jog. The Great Grands were not having it and no one hit the dirt.

Grandma’s

The Grandma’s race had a big field of runners but it was Shirley Bernal from Auburn who got the win. Shirley is the grandmother of 2 and still got her skills. Check out her great run. 

Grandpa’s

A large field of Grandpa’s including Emerald Downs’ race caller Tom Harris. Harris said last year he didn’t make it all the way so that was his goal this year to finish and he did it.

Meantime, there was quite a battle on the front end but Ernie Hutchinson of Snohomish got the win in a photo finish. Watch early on for the two Grandpa’s who eat dirt. They got up and finished like Champions. Ernie has 6 grand kids.

Great Grandparents

There were more Great Grandparents than many thought would participate. A good group but none faster than Walter Robertson of Tacoma. Walter was off quick and did not slow down. He is the proud great grandpa of 1.

Let’s get to our Sunday coverage.

Track Notes

From the Saddle

Blake Nunnally was the only one to win 2 on Saturday and in the first two races matched what he did taking the opening Daily Double. Nunnally hasn’t been anything but in 1st place so far on Sunday going gate to wire in both.

Kevin Krigger tripled on Sunday breaking out of a mini slump so to speak taking the 4th, 5th and 6th races. That run pulled Krigger within 1 of leading rider Silvio Amador. Amador would win the feature race on No Ordinary Tiger to give himself a 2 win cushion as we completed the 1st month of the 30th season.

Lenny Seecharan doubled as well on Sunday doing it in front running style on the 1-1 favorite Dixie’s Delight in the 3rd. Then flipped it to a come from off the pace win on 15-1 Corn Pop in the 7th race. These were the 4th and 5th wins of the year for Seecharan.

Adrian Castellanos was the final rider to get to the winner’s circle and did it in the final race. Knock’em Out Jerry went gate to wire for the victory.

The Barn Report

The top 3 conditioners all got wins on Sunday. Howie Gibson got things going in the 1st race with Clubhouse Drama pulling into a tie with leading trainer Tim McCanna with 6 each. McCanna re-took the lead with Jess N Time in the 5th race to go up 7-6. Last year’s Champ Jorge Rosales kept pace with his 5th win taking the final race when Knock’em Out Jerry went gate to wire.

Blaine Wright not in the top 3 by wins but is #2 in earnings and got his 3rd win in the 3rd with Dixie’s Delight.

Pair of First’s

Two trainers scored their 1st career wins on Sunday at Emerald Downs and both did it with their 6th career start in an ironic twist.

In the 4th race Ramiro Meraz Martinez won his first career race as a trainer. He had his 1st start at Turf Paradise with Slew Skies. He then started his next 3 races at Emerald Downs on May 17 with Hatagasal in the 1st, Social Status in the 2nd and Slew Skies in the 3rd and got a 2nd with Social Status. He got a 2nd from Social Status.

Then on Saturday he ran Hatagasal to get another 2nd. Then on Sunday it all came together with a front running gate to wire win from Social Status under Kevin Krigger. Meraz Martinez is now 1-2-0-1 from 6 lifetime starts.

In the 6th race it was Jerry Kum’s turn. Kum began at Emerald Downs on May 17th with 2 runners both in the same race. La Popis finished 2nd and Shadowed Thoughts who took 4th. Kum then entered Thirsty Nic on the 24th with another place finish and La Popis on the 25th where she ran 5th. 

On Saturday the 30th, Nan Elizabeth got her 1st start of the year and ran a nice closing 3rd. But then on Sunday Kum got to pose for his first winner’s circle picture when Bert’s Prospect went wire-to-wire with Kevin Krigger aboard. 

Kum is now 1-2-1-1 from 6 career starts.

What’s interesting is neither win snuck up on the betting public as Social Status was 3-5 and Bert’s Prospect 4-5. Congrats to both Jerry and Ramiro.

1st wins of the Season

Trainers Robbie Baze and Michael Molrris each got their 1st wins of the season on Sunday. Michael Morris helped the single winning ticket holder of the Pic 6 claim the pot with 15-1 Corn Pop running a strong race with the guidance of Lenny Seecharan in the 7th race.

Robbie Baze collected his 1st win in the feature race with a nice off the pace win from No Ordinary Tiger piloted by Silvio Amador. The 4-1 3rd choice outdueled 1-1 favorite great Runner for the win.

And Jennifer Nunnally scored another win this weekend winning the 2nd race on Lula Bella the 1-1 favorite. This was back-to-back wins for Nunnally as she won the 8th and final race on Saturday with FBI Bob  and is now 2-0-1 from 7 starts this season.

The Betting Window

Happy Birthday!

A special Happy Birthday to Larry the SportsCat’s arch enemy the Trifecta King! The King hit a good one on Saturday but on his birthday ran into 15-1 Corn Pop pulling off the upset win in the 7th race. Happy Birthday King!

Nunnally Double and Krigger Pick 3

Getting started with the traditional Daily Double jockey Blake Nunnally won both ends with 5-2 Clubhouse Drama to 1-1 Lula Bella. The all-Blake double paid $7.79.

The bettors also weren’t fooled with Kevin Krigger’s pick 3 triple in races 4, 5 and 6. Krigger was on the 3-5, 9-5 and 4-5 favorites and the 50-cent pick 3 paid $9.49.

1st 6 Races

After the first 6 races it was all favorites except for the 1st race when 5-2 3rd choice Clubhouse Drama got the win. Through 6 races there were 4 1-1 or lower winners coupled with the 5-2 and a 9-5 for an average pay of $4.82 or 7-5 odds.

The 2nd place finisher in the first 6 races actually were paying pretty good along with the show bets despite the low wins pays. The first 6 place pays on the 2nd place horses averaged 7-5 as well with a slightly higher pay of $4.85.

The Corn “Pop” that blew up the Pick 6, worth 13k!

The Jackpot Pick 6 looked like another carryover with all the low win pays but in the 7th race 15-1 Corn Pop came from off the pace to get the win by a nose over 3-1 Bedrock. This no doubt is what turned the Pick 6 upside down. Corn Pop also paid out the highest $2 win of the season of $32.32. 

In the 8th race it looks in the final bets that No Ordinary Tiger would have also been an easy one to include as the 4-1 3rd choice. But Tiger was morning line 8-1 so when the bets are made in the pick 6, those trying to trim down their tickets are more likely to take off an 8-1 shot than other shorter prices.

Then in the finale, even though the scratches were early, we’re not sure if any of the 3 horses scratched if they were available to include early on in the betting especially betting on-line. Knock’em Out Jerry was also 8-1 morning line and ended up going off as the 2nd choice at 5-2. 

All this chaos in the final 3 races created an opening for one bettor to have a shot at hogging the pot and that’s exactly what happened. One winner had all 6 and got the whole enchilada of $13,925.52. It took 10 days to build up to 13k and looked like a lock to carryover to next Friday but instead the Jackpot will start over. Congrats to the lone winner, heck of a job stretching your ticket for the first big Pick 6 win of 2026.

Sunday Race Re-Caps, replays and pay-outs

8th Race & Copies NW Feature race

6 went in the starter allowance race on Sunday and 4-1 No Ordinary Tiger got a brilliant ride from leading jockey Silvio Amador. Amador and Tiger laid off the early pace of longshot Toppers at Seaside with Kevin Orozco and even money favorite Great Runner ridden by Adrian Castellanos.

Turning for home No Ordinary Tiger swung to the outside and wore down the front runners to win by a length and a half in a final time of 1:37.03. No Ordinary Tiger is owned and trained by Robbie Baze.

Great Runner held 2nd, 9-1 Light the Beam closed well for Allyssa Morales to get 3rd and Toppers at Seaside ran a game race to be 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 2-4 $12.22
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 2-4-6 $32.84
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 2-4-6-3 $34.58
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 7-2 $73.47
• $0.50 PICK 3 1-7-2 $137.79

Race Replay

The rest of Saturday’s card

1st Race

A field of 5 went 6 furlongs to kick off Grandparents Day and Clubhouse Drama at 5-2 went gate to wire for pilot Blake Nunnally. Nunnally had 2 winners on Saturday and got off to a fast start on Sunday. Clubhouse Drama stopped the clock in 1:09.59 and races for Drama Racing Stable and trained by Howie Gibson.

Ms Flashy Harbor and Karlo Lopez at 6-1 was at the back of the pack but thought there would be more frontend speed to run at and did go by 3 of the 4 but settled for 2nd. Princess Hekawi and Frank Alvarado ran an even 3rd and 8-5 favorite Bobby’s Genie under Adrian Castellanos tired to be 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 1-2 $12.90
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 1-2-5 $20.01
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 1-2-5-4 $5.68

Race Replay

2nd Race

6 fillies and mares went 6 furlongs to wrapped up the original Daily Double on Grandparents Day and no surprise here with 1-1 favorite Lula Bella winning easily with Blake Nunnally winning back to back to begin Sunday. Lula Bella races for owner/trainer Jennifer Nunnally and ran the 3/4’s in 1:112.09.

11-year-old Prancipants ran a really good race to take 2nd for apprentice Jairo Moreno, Ready to Gig with Karlo Lopez was 3rd and completing the superfecta was Lucy L under Jose Rodriguez.

• $1.00 EXACTA 5-6 $9.85
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 5-6-3 $31.17
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 5-6-3-2 $14.45
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 1-5 $7.79

Race Replay

3rd Race

Front speed has dominated the first 3 races with each winner going gate to wire. In the 3rd it was 1-1 Dixie’s Delight with Lenny Seechharan aboard setting a quick 21.87 1st quarter in the 5 1/2 furlong sprint but then slowed it down in the 2nd quarter to 45.05 yert extending her lead. This left plenty of fuel for the fire and Seecharan rolled Dixie out to a big 5 length victory in a final time of 1:04.19. Dixie’s Delight races for Dean  Marcic and trained by Blaine Wright.

There was a good battle for 2nd with Why Not Mayzee getting the nose down undere Karlo Lopez over Do You Hearyourself and Isaias Enriquez while Circle of Fire was back further in 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 1-6 $11.53
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 1-6-4 $33.81
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 1-6-4-2 $13.81
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 5-1 $6.56
• $0.50 PICK 3 1-5-1 $16.04

Race Replay

4th Race

The first off the engine runner won the 3rd as odds on top choice 1-2 Social Status and Kevin Krigger wore down a stubborn 3-1 Coconut Dreams and Silvio Amador. Coconut Dreams set reasonable fractions of 22.28 and 45.68 going 6 furlongs but wasn’t enough to deny the winner. Social Status races for Monevi LLC and trained by Ramiro Meraz Martinez, his 1st career win as a trainer.

Coconut Dreams was 2nd, White Peony with Kevin Orozco closed well to be 3rd and Cheekwood under Adrian Castellanos was 4th.

• $1.00 EXACTA 3-5 $4.63
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 3-5-1 $13.46
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 3-5-1-4 $11.14
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 1-3 $4.65
• $0.50 PICK 3 5-1-3 $6.56
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 1-5-1-3 $23.78

Race Replay

5th Race 

7 maiden 3-year-olds went 5 1/2 furlongs and 9-5 favorite Jess in Time with Kevin Krigger broke evenly out of the gate but quickly gobbled up the lead and set the pace going 22.42 and 46.27. Turning for home Al’s Big Boy piloted by Lenny Seecharan turned up the pressure but Jess responded holding Al at bay to win by a length in a final time of 1:05.06. The Bronx Bull and apprentice Taliyah Timentwa ran on for 3rd and Halo’s Valor ran an even 4th under Silvio Amador in his career debut start.

Jess in Time races for Royal Victory Thoroughbreds and trained by Tim McCanna. Jess in Time is a Washington bred by Jess Mo out of Back in Time by Empire Maker and was bred by

• $1.00 EXACTA 3-5 $11.83
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 3-5-4 $28.36
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 3-5-4-1 $32.45
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 3-3 $6.66
• $0.50 PICK 3 1-3-3,6 $9.89

Race Replay

6th Race

Front speed and favorites has been the theme of the day on Sunday and it continued in the 6th with 8 limned-up to go 1 trip around in a mile run. 4-5 Bert’s Prospect and Kevin Krigger got out quickly and led all the way to the top of the stretch. Bourbon Dancer with Frank Alvarado tried to get to the winner but Krigger had left plenty in the tank to win clear in a final time of 1:36.77. This was Krigger’s 3rd win of the day. 5-1 Enos Slaughter ran 3rd with Silvio Amador and taking 4th was a dead-heat begtween It’s Thievery with Kevin Orozco and Brother Reid under Adrian Castellanos.

Bert’s Prospect races for Kum Cheung Hon and Tsang S Kim and is trained by Jerry Kum. This was Jerry Kum’s first win as a trainer and is now 1-2-0 from 5 lifetime starts.

• $1.00 EXACTA 1-8 $6.23
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 1-8-5 $12.58
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 1-8-5-4 $5.30
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 1-8-5-2 $8.01
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 3-1 $11.57
• $0.50 PICK 3 3-3,6-1 $9.49
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 1-3-3,6-1 $18.87

Race Replay

7th Race

A late scratch in the 7th dropped the field to 6 and after a slow break 2-1 favorite Peter Flies rushed up to join 22-1 Scopello on the lead. The duo would turn for home with Peter Flies giving way and finishing last while Scopello’s lead was not for long either as 3-1 Bedrock with Taliyah Timentwa and 15-1 Corn Pop under Lenny Seecharan both rolled up and on by the faltering front runners.

Corn Pop would surge late and get the neck in front at the wire for the win. Corn Pop races for Hailey Shiffer and trained by Michael Robert Morris and ran the 5 1/2-furlongs in 1:03.98. It was Seecharan’s 2nd win on the day.

5-2 Mischief’s Causeway was back in 3rd with Scopello holding on to complete the top 4 finish.

• $1.00 EXACTA 7-6 $38.25
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 7-6-3 $95.56
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 7-6-3-2 $113.89
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 1-5 $1.85
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 1-7 $27.23
• $0.50 PICK 3 3-1-7 $75.26

Race Replay

9th Race

After 3 scratches that left just 5 to go to the gates in the finale for May. Knock’em Out Jerry was always close and Adrian Castellanos opened up turning for home and the held off At the Cross to get the win covering the 5 1/2 furlopngs in 1:04.11. Knock’em Out Jerry races for Eliana Thompson and Gene Heredia and is trained by Jorge Rosales.

At the Cross with apprentice Pable Castillo ran a good 2nd. Castillo claimed foul in deep stretch but the stewards ruled it was not enough for a DQ. Red Memorys with Jose Rodriguez ran 3rd, Pakas Secret and Blake Nunnally were 4th with Valley Echo and Karlo Lopez completing the Super Hi 5.

• $1.00 EXACTA 2-8 $18.20
• $0.50 TRIFECTA 2-8-1 $41.23
• $0.10 SUPERFECTA 2-8-1-3 $21.39
• $0.50 SUPERHIGHFIVE 2-8-1-3-4 $138.73
• $1.00 DAILY DOUBLE 2-2 $28.14
• $0.50 PICK 3 7-2-2 $210.58
• $0.50 PICK 4 4 OF 4 1-7-2-2 $597.37
• $0.50 PICK 5 5 OF 5 3,6-1-7-2-2 $2,281.43
• $0.10 PICK 6 6 OF 6 3-3,6-1-7-2-2 $13,925.52

Race Replay

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