June 12, 2025 • 40 mins
Great Thoroughbred action AND Indian Relay Racing this weekend at Emerald Downs! Join us Friday night, Saturday and Sunday for all the exciting races and special events. Indian relay teams in the northern U.S. tier and western Canada refer to the Muckleshoot Gold Cup as the “Big Show” among annual relay events. There have been eight runnings with eight different champions and all former winners are entered this weekend. Gayle Skunkcap Jr., broadcaster and publicist for Indian relay racing, joins Joe and Vince to speak to this weekend’s action as well as history behind the event. Skunkcap, based out of Montana, has been part of all Muckleshoot Gold Cups at EmD and his family has long roots in relay racing. Sport Shorts, selections and trivia on Horseracing NW.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Come in macOS It doesn't matter if you love craps,
blackjack machines or dining on the finest Asian, American and
Salis cuisines. It doesn't matter what you do or where
you're coming from.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Mucosu.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
What you do is all at Muckleshoe, an easy drive
from wherever you are. All roads lead to Muckleshoe.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Mucosuit, round the turn and run from home with a
(00:52):
furlong ago.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Fifty Cinco at the inside opens up. Now fifty Cinco
is there on the lead, chased by an need the
nume Mercedes, but seventy yards away, fifty Cinco's been rated
perfect and wins it by two.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
That was fifty Sinco winning at Emerald Downs last week,
our first fab Friday, half price Friday of the meeting,
and many of you listening were out at Emerald Downs
on that June sixth evening, first race, seven pm. Joe
with me and Vince Brown. Joe's back for horse racing Northwest.
(01:30):
Vince fifty Sinco ran a big race.
Speaker 5 (01:33):
He did the fastest mile to date, one thirty five
point one eight. Couple things about that, you know, that's
an improving five year old. He got an eighty four
buyer and six wins, five different wins winning racetracks for
fifty Cinco and he came away from that field really
sharply down the lane. He's a horse to watch. He's
on the move. Interesting also last Friday, Joe, and it
(01:54):
is great to have you back.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
You're a fixture here. And I think I've ever seen
this before. Neil Malarkey pointed it out to me after
the fact that all seven winners last Friday night got claimed.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
That is amazing. Yeah, I mean claiming is certainly not
down at Emerald Downs this year with more horsemen and
you know, just more people involved. So all seven winners
claimed on our first Friday card. Hey, thanks to Phil
Zigler for pinch hitting on horse racing Northwest last week.
I listened to the show at home. Yeah, I was
(02:26):
a little under the weather and you guys had Anthony
stabil the big a. He came through with another Belmont
Stakes winner, Sovereignty. And Patricia McQueen was real interesting of
course to me too, being a huge Secretariat fan, and
she sold all her books last weekend. Thanks for helping
out with that and promoting. She had a fantastic time
(02:50):
she'd sent me in a text she did.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
And you know these books signings, it's they're doing pretty
good and it just shows that we've got a Horsey
audience out here. And yeah, she had a great time.
Of course, it's a great book. As we talked about
all the pictures and the research and the local angles.
She did some good business.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, yeah, And shoot, I don't have the exact information
where one can order a book, but at your usual
place as Secretariat by Patricia McQueen, and if you use
the code Emerald then you get free shipping, so keep
that in mind. It's fifty four to ninety five, just
(03:32):
a tremendous picture book and Secretariat boy, she made him
look like, you know better, sire than I remembered. You know,
I always rooted for him and rooted for his progeny
a whole bunch, but he got bred to a lot
of great mayres. But she certainly went over all the
highlights in a very large picture book. Awesome job. And
(03:53):
Phil Ziggler, thanks Phil for doing the race by race
stuff last weekend for me our track president, and he
sent me a text of the crowd on Friday night.
Our crowds this year you know, we know the handles better,
the field size is up, We're doing great there. But
the crowds have been fantastic, Vince.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
They have, and you know, if I might have a
moment to speak on such a topic, and I know
you and I are always very proud of the crowds
here at embild Down's. But as you look at it
our industry, you see these big iconic venue Santa Eta, Churchill,
Gulfstream Aqueduct, and with the exception of their major days,
there's nobody at these places, and it's a giant failure
(04:34):
of our industry. Their purses are enhanced via auxiliar revenue streams,
which is great, but I find it embarrassing to watch
track feeds and see nobody at the races. And I
follow a lot of social media on racing, and ninety
nine percent of them talk about growing handle. Obviously, of
course that's important. But in the year twenty twenty five,
you know, primarily due to enhanced legalization of wagering casinos,
(04:56):
more recently sports wagering, it's tough to develop new gamblers
and new players. So in face of that, how about
increasing the number of people attending the races paying admission? Parking,
buying hot dogs and beer that we continue to do
well at Emerald Downs. You know, I'm on the sixth floor,
but at least once a day, Joe, I try to
get down and be on the ape, run, get close
(05:16):
to the racetrack. The buzz before a race here is palpable,
every bit as exciting as before a big at bat
at T Mobile Park or a third down play at
Century Lakefield. Yet I watch things like the Global Symposium
Racing and dozens of social media platforms and follows as
has hardly ever even talked about getting people to attend
(05:37):
the races is a sustainable business model for thoroughbred racing. Now,
does everyone come to Emerald Downs for a specific event
that is entirely for the words? Maybe not, But again
I say, so what they're coming here, They're having a
great time, they're in good weather, They're being exposed to
our sport. That's the only way you or I would
have ever been developed as horse fans. So pardon my
(05:58):
diet tribe a little bit. But I've been to a
lot of tracks. You have too, Joe, And Okay, we're
not the biggest track in America, but our presentation is
great and the people here have a fun time and
it's a great way to spend a day.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Oh what are you saying. You're saying that get people
to the track. Yes, you might make a new fan
here or there from these new people, and you might
make a few bucks off them too, exactly. You know
all that, believe me. You know our handle last year
twenty twenty four was not good at all for purses,
and all these concessions and parking and truck revenue, and
(06:39):
you know that all helped go into the bottom line
at Emerald Downs. And that's one reason Phil Ziggler made
the comments he did that were published by Scott Hanson
of the Seattle Times and picked up by so many
others that heisa is not helping small tracks by these
exorbitant fees, that we just don't have the money for that,
and is not good for horse racing at all. I'll
(07:03):
say that easily anyway. But Phil, you know his his
keeping up of our Facebook page Emerald Downs on Facebook.
We have so many followers there, and yes it's it's
promotion heavy, but gosh, you do the news and notes,
which I assume are updated for this week.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
And Joe's Joe, Phil is on there, interacting with people
with the track president. You can ask them questions and
you know sometimes he may argue back and forth, but
that's healthy, you know, you want that. You know, the
people have the tradition of the suits are hiding in
their offs. Not the case at all here at Emerald
Downs and even before Phil, Emerald Downs always had a
good reputation of people enjoying themselves on track and that's
(07:42):
what it's all about. And that gets back to my point.
Looking at these venues where there's no one there, it
breaks my heart because it doesn't need to be that way.
Speaker 6 (07:50):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
I mean, yeah, we've you and I have said several
times maybe on this podcast that you know, the the
Arizona Symposium in the fall to the winter, they should
Phil has been on there, but gosh, you know he
ought to go over step by step how to run
a Corgi day, how to run a wiener dog day,
a bulldog day, a t rex day, grandparents race, the
(08:13):
kids race. Those bring people to the track. They're tried
and true now and they're working again. Great this year.
Tendance is fantastic and of course we have bigger field size.
Vince and I concentrate on the racing end of things
more and the news and notes at our website are fantastic.
And we did a new training day today which is
(08:34):
a little thing but gets a few more eyes as well.
Our podcast, our race to race coverage of Vince. Speaking
of that, let's talk about weekly honors from last week,
which I watched from afar.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Okay, Joe, Yeah. Last week, well, our jockey of the
week Julian Couton. We could have gone with Manny Americano again.
He had another huge week with five or six wins,
I believe, But Julian, a former Emerald Down riding champion.
He had two winners and including a second straight win
on Chuckinnut Bay. And how good was that horse again
last week with another brilliant six fur long race. Here,
(09:12):
So Julian our jockey of the week, the trainer, this
guy's done pretty good.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Joe.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
We met him down in northern California. We were down
at Pleasanton. I believe he's eighty six years old. Mike
Linzini two for six and a man of my stature,
came away from his field last Sunday, So good job
by Mike. The owner RAMA Racing. We know Howard passed
away in twenty twenty four. Howard Hammer, at age one
hundred and three D, continuing the family tradition, owns Chuckinut Bay.
(09:40):
Do you know those silks of rumber Racing have been
in the Emerald Downs Winter circle twenty four of our
thirty seasons here at Emeralds Sins at least once.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
So they've had a great run here and great to
see d back here last weekend. The Washington brad Well
Chuckinnut Bay has already won it, so we try to
spread around. How about cream de Men four, one, two,
and seven starts now at Emerald Down's career high seventy
seven buyer for her beat a strong field of optional
claiming phillies and mayors. She looks like she might be
(10:10):
headed to a stakes race down the road. Here and
the groom of the week one Carlos Gomez. He works
for Scott Tubbs Sawtooth Bow when the opener last Friday,
So good job by one Carlos there.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Okay, weekly honors spread around? Yeah, Julian couton board slewsed
his whiz for a workout this morning. As we get
closer to those four Stakes on June twenty second, just
what ten days away, so we're looking forward to that
day as well. We have not mentioned Indian Relay Weekend
(10:43):
at Emerald Downs. It is this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Gail Skunkcap, junior broadcaster and publicist for Indian Relay Racing,
is going to join us on today's show and we
are so much looking forward to that. It is a
fantastic spectacle. There are three heats each day Friday and Saturday,
a couple of consolation heats and the championship on Sunday.
(11:07):
The Muckle Shoot Gold Cup at stake, a great purse
to shoot for. But Gail will tell you about Emerald
Downs and the Muckle Shoot Gold Cup. They just love
coming here every year, so that'll be coming up. Reminder,
on the pick threes, we got that twelve percent takeout
which is really strong, and they know you spread out
(11:30):
the wealth on the weekly honors. You know again, Manuel
Americano having a great meet. He's right up there with
Kevin Kriger now the trainer and jockey. Standing's pretty hotly
contested right.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Now, really hotly contested. Kevin with a twenty three to
twenty two lead over many Americano and they've kind of
opened up. Alex Cruz, are five time defending champion, is
tied with Kevin Rosco for third with eleven wins each,
and then Sylvio Amadorn fifth with tenth. Yeah, the training
I might go down to the wire this year. Tim
(12:02):
McCann and Howie Gibson. Tim is nine for twenty eight
and how he is nine for twenty seven. They're tied
for top. Then Justin Evans and Blaine Wright tied for
second with eight apiece, and then right behind them George Rosales,
Frank Luco o'relli and Acedra Tomaio Aceedro another newcomer having
a great go here at Emerald Downs with seven they
all have seven each.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
All right, okay, well yeah, action this weekend Friday Saturday
Sunday first race Friday at seven pm and those are
half price Fridays. Keep that in mind for admission and
several concession items. Also, wear your fab Friday T shirt
for free admission, which so many of you got last
(12:44):
weekend Saturday Sunday first race one fifty and again the
Muckle Shoot Gold Cup. Some just extra action and excitement
at Emerald Downs here in the late spring of twenty
twenty five, looking forward to that. So we'll take a
time out and we'll come back with Gail Skunk Camp
(13:04):
Junior here on horse racing Northwest Muchos.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
It doesn't matter if you love craps, blackjack machines or
dining on the finest Asian, American and Salish cuisines. It
doesn't matter what you do or where you're coming from Mucosuon.
What you do is all at Muckleshoe, an easy drive
from wherever you are. All roads lead to Muckleshoe.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
Mucosuit and Portress Relay is pressing from the outside. Abrahamson
is in third. We've got a horse race to the
finish now and on the outside Portress Relay rising to
the occasion, will win the Muckleshoot Gold Cup.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
That was the twenty twenty four final of the Muckle
Shoot Gold Cup at Emerald Downs last June. Poetress Relay
Jaypachu was the winning rider and the team Pointress Relay
got the victory. They were the eighth different team to
win the Muckle Shoot Gold Cup in eight runnings at
(14:22):
Emerald Downs twenty sixteen to twenty four. We didn't have
the event the COVID year of twenty twenty. But what excitement.
What a great weekend for Emerald Downs and local race fans.
We get our thoroughbreds out there, but then so much
extra excitement. It's something to look forward to. The weather's
going to be great. And joining us right now is
(14:44):
Gail skunk Cap Junior, who is pretty well known in
these parts now as broadcaster and publicist for Indian Relay Racing. Gail,
great to have you, hey.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
It's great to be bat. Joe is going to be
a great weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Oh man. You know we'd get you every year on here,
and it's just so much something to look forward to.
Our vice president, Jack Hodge, is working on this diligently
for ever since January to put the help put it together.
And you're a big part of this too, along with
your daughter Jenna. She's like the producer and you're the
(15:23):
publicist and the broadcaster and the rest of your team
takes over our conference room here for the whole week.
What's going on different? Anything different this year? Vince just
mentioned that all eight former champions are back. That's a
pretty good starting point, isn't it.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
That's really good. It's really good I'm going to be
exciting the starting point of it. I mean, like you mentioned,
Jack has really been working on since January. You know,
it's a big thing every year for Native America, I guess,
and now North America. You know, the Canadians have really
stepped up to the plate on this the last seven years.
They really developed and I went there last year in Edmonton.
(16:01):
They had a big race there one hundred thousand. But
this week is excited to have two of the teams back.
Poches won it last year, and then we invited a
new team this year, so one from Alberta and one
from Saskatchewan. So those, I guess are the new ones.
Great to have the Canadians on.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Board, fantastic. And how about Montana? You being from Montana
and a resident there, and and we'll talk a little
bit about your whole family's history and in this it's
it's pretty deep and extensive. But what about who are
the top Montana teams this year?
Speaker 6 (16:37):
You know, the top Montana teams is the Carlson's teams
as as as usual, you know, the there's Carlson's to
Medicine and I'm Scoffy Picunny. You know, they were past
winners as well, you know, and Star School Martin Little
Plum's team as well, they were past winners as well.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Oh you guys are Montana's voted. All four of those
teams you mentioned have won at Carlson Star School, I'm
Scopy Pecuni and two Medicine that's right to Medicine just
a couple of years ago. With Cody Carlson, he's one
of the top names.
Speaker 6 (17:11):
He was one of the top names, you know. Unfortunately
he circcumbed to injury boy, and he's still healing. You know,
I don't know how many surgeries he had. But at
one of the big relay events in Montana, the Northwest
Montana Fair, who originated in Montana, you know, he got
injured in that event and has still started his slow
(17:33):
trek to recovery. But not to mention the or not
to forget the Crow Nation as well, Cody Brown. You know,
that would be five of the Montana teams that were
past winners here at the Muckleshoot Gold Cup.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
They got a pretty strong hand their events.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Yeah, and I think twenty one teams and all you said, Gail,
and the purse money is like eighty four grand. This year,
and I've heard you say it a few times. This
is kind of the biggest deal for all the relay
teams coming to Emerald Downs every year. It's one of
the big stops on your circuit.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
Oh it is. This is one of the first big stops.
You know, We've already got into relay back back home
and then in South Dakota. I was in South Dakota
two weeks ago for the Morbridge Race at the Chief
Joseph Fairgrounds and that was a huge event. Last week
in Montana at the Miles City Fairgrounds where they have
the famous well Well or Bucking Horse Sale, they had
(18:27):
Indian relay there as well, so this would be a
couple of these teams have attended both of those, and
I think two of them are here this week. But
the big thing since we started a while back, you
know that we got the Muckleshoote tribe in Virginia cross
to thank for bringing relay here.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yep, you bet she and the tribe has been behind
this one hundred percent. Of course, the roots for this,
and I was talking with Gail earlier today, but just
imagine when there was Indian relay racing, I mean years ago,
oh more than that, I'm sure with horses and Native Americans,
(19:04):
Native people and North American continent to get their horses
and then to practice their horsemanship and to come up
with racing, it probably goes way, way way back. It
does go back pretty far in your family, Gale.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
It does, you know, over what in the sixteen hundreds,
you know, as the horses got loose from the Spaniards
and way in the Deep South, you know, and horses
have evolved, you know it and enabled the Native country
or Native America to expand their territories. It made them
stronger in warfare, it made them better hunters and all
(19:40):
that stuff. But to mention going the history of relay
in my family, you know, my uncle Leroy skunk Cap
started relaying in Montana and the first place that he
did it was the Northwest Montana Fair in Kellispell, Montana.
But it was by way of Fort Hall, Idaho. He
married my auntie, She was a edmont in Fort Hall,
(20:01):
and that was you know, they were running relay in there,
and so my uncle wanted to bring it to Montana
and he brought it to the fairgrounds. The guy, I
forget his first name, but Cartwright was the last name,
and he introduced it along with the Demolition Derby to
the Northwest Montana Fair and so that was where it
started in the early eighties. As a young boy, you know,
I was really fascinated by it, and you know it
(20:25):
has really evolved in Montana since then.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Yeah, that's great, Vince again accurate with his figures tossing,
not just tossing figures out. But you said five hundred
years in Gail. Yeah, mentioned in the sixteen wards.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Once again Gae the fans coming out. How does how
does Indian relay work?
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Again?
Speaker 6 (20:42):
Basically, well that the uh, the relay here is not
the typical Indian relay. It's normally run with three horses.
And let's see, there was a rider, one mugger and
an exchangeholder. They switched three times. Here each horse is
going to run half a mile. You know, the race
is two miles here, so we added two extra horses
(21:03):
in this. The object of the game the horses the
baton I can relay racing. The rider starts with the
rider a mounted start. He goes around the track or
the half a mile, and he goes into his first exchange.
There's the team members on there. It's called the mugger
or catcher. He's got to catch that horse when that
rider's coming in. You know, they're coming in about thirty
(21:25):
miles an hour, and they got to gear down. You know,
that horse has just run really hard and he's got
to gear down on that and probably five miles an
hour pound jump off his horse and pounce onto the
next one. Both horses have to touch I mean both feet,
excuse me, and got to touch the ground. And he
jumps onto his other horse, and he goes around and
does it again, you know, and keep in mind that
(21:46):
the uh there's holders in the back too, so they
got to catch that horse that just run and keep
him calm because there's boxes in the back too. That's
in our rules. If the horses get outside, there's a
it's a disqualification. So that guy has got to keep
that horse calm and then get ready for the next one.
So it's really exciting. The horses feel it, the team
(22:06):
members feel it, the fans feel it. It's something really
exciting to see. And that's the way in relays run.
You know, it's the wildness of rodeo, the speed of
thoroughbred horse racing, and the teamwork of NASCAR all three
and one. You know that was from my good friend
the late Russell Redcrow who put that together. And that's
(22:26):
exactly how it goes.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
It applies for sure. And yeah, our jockeys, our Thoroughbred jockeys,
look at these guys riding bareback and jumping off two
feet on the ground and they're just immediately through the
air again onto the back of the next horse at
these exchange points.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Yeah, that's awesome. And what I enjoyed Joe too and
Gail is kind of the whole culture of the weekend.
There's real Indian flavor here at Emerald Downs all three days.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
This is a family event, our family sport. You know,
these teams travel together. You know, they're heavy in prayer,
they're heavy in our traditions and customs, you know in
the back. But you know they camp and you know
they take really good care of their horses. You know
most times are all the time, and the horses are
fed before they are and you know they put a
lot into the equine that you know, it gives them
(23:18):
the upper hand and competition, you know, so it's really
good and you know the horses are taking care of
really well. But the family, you know, the kids get
involved in all of that and taking care of the
horses as well.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, we're gonna have the draw tomorrow and of course
the first three heats will be tomorrow night at Emerald
Downs first Thoroughbread Race at seven pm. Yeah, that's just
a huge get together of all the families coming in
for the draw and there's a ceremonial meal and that
kind of kicks things off early tomorrow afternoon. So that'll
be the first official point of the Muckle Shoot Gold
(23:53):
Cup this weekend at Emerald Downs. Just fantastic action and
we you know, hope everything goes well as it has.
I mean, these guys are good at what they do.
But boy, these horses, as you said, they're coming in
fast and they practice. There's plenty of practice and.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Sawesome today, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah, so a lot of ex thoroughbred race horses are
involved in this too. They speed around those turns, exchanges
at the half mile, pool on the backstretch, exchange again
at the finish line, and one more exchange at the backstretches.
Gail said four different horses used by the same rider
in the two mile event and three qualifying heats both
(24:35):
Friday and Saturday toward placement in the final, and it
just it can't get more wide open. With all eight
former champs back in action this year, Gayl will be
calling the action with Tom Harris and you guys have
worked together several years, so your trade offs are pretty
seamless as far as that goes. Gale.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
Yeah, Tom has gotten really good with that and you know,
Joy working with Tom a lot, and he really understands
the event.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Yeah, he's been exposed to it in another area. So
Emerald downs part of the circuit something to look forward
to each year. And then I'm sure with all these
teams from Montana, there's some events in Montana later this
spring and summer.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
There is a lot of events in there. Fort Hall
has a big one though coming down to the end
of the summer, but a lot of them taking places
that a lot of the power celebrations during in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho.
All of those places have end in relay as well.
But one of the bigger, bigger ones too is in
Fort Hall. They call it Nationals. Another one is been
(25:40):
shared in Wyoming. They call it the World World Championships.
And you know those are huge events.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Yeah, and most of those could be seen on YouTube,
and sixty Minutes did a story on Indian relay racing
since we've met last and that can be accessed, I'm
sure through.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
One other thing I avnaged is you guys, it's pretty
crazy out there, but there are a bunch of judges
and they writers can't just do anything. A few years
ago he had a little bit of a incident in
the stretches like in thoroughbred racing, where you can't just
cut a guy off or anything. Right, you guys have
a whole host of judges and timers and a big staff.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
That's right, you know, and gentlemen pulled them all together,
and so it's probably how would you describe it, organized chaos? Yeah,
I guess. And those judges really come into play on
that too. So there is some guidelines, our regulations rules
that we follow by too, and you know, if it's
not prohibiting the team from a better placing, you know
(26:37):
that it's it's okay. Everything is fair game. But if
it is prohibiting, you know, the judges are right on
top of it, you know. And that's one of the
reasons this is called the Big Show. Most of the teams,
a lot of the fans that follow in in relay.
They all know this is a big show and a
lot of the Native American people are trying to get
here just to see this because you know, this is
one of the best or this is the best place
(26:59):
of Indian real life. You know, the hospitality that the
Muckle Shoot does, Emerald Downs, and just the organization of
this event. The big show as they all know.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
It, the big show that makes us feel good because
we're part of it. We enjoy it. And it is
here Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Indian Relay racing the Muckleshoot
Gold Cup on the line once again and Gail skunk
Cap Junior will be calling the action and his staff,
(27:27):
most notably your daughter Jenna, does a super job of organizing,
as Vince said, the judges and all the team members
that go toward putting this whole product on. So Gail,
we're just getting close and we'll be looking forward to tomorrow.
So thanks for joining us again.
Speaker 6 (27:46):
Great looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Thank you, Gail Skunk Cap Junior. And Gail, I'm going
to bring a picture out on our Handicappers corner show
tomorrow and you're going to identify it from a one
of your media opportunity in the past, and we'll do
that tomorrow here at Emerald Downs. Taking a short break,
coming back here on Horse Racing Northwest. The Muckle Shoot
(28:08):
Gold Cup. Indian Relay races return to Emerald Downs June
thirteenth to fifteenth. The best teams in North America compete
for over seventy five thousand dollars. Relay racing is a
Native American sport where bareback riders switch horses three times Friday.
Racing begins at seven pm Saturday and Sunday at one
fifty pm. There's also great food, entertainment and exciting thoroughbred
(28:30):
races each day. Don't miss Indian Relay Racing June thirteenth
to fifteenth only at Emerald Downs. Horse Racing Northwest continues
our third and final segment and vents so much looking
forward to this week, and we've got some great thoroughbred
events too. I'll make a couple of selections here, but boy,
(28:54):
a week from Sunday is June twenty second, and that's
the first of our stakes days at Emerald Downs this
year and a Steaks quadruple header coming up that after
stake spectacular.
Speaker 5 (29:04):
Yeah, and we'll have older Phillies and mayors older horses,
and we'll have three year old colts and Guildings and
three year old Phillies. Just well, I'm sure we'll talk
about a length next week. I just off the top
of my head, I'm that hastings for Phillies and mirrors, Joe.
I've seen three really good older Phillies and Marors already
at the meeting. We saw a loha breeze of course
(29:25):
last week, but we've seen attracted for Blaine Wright and
then we saw fun money for Justin Evans. All three
of them couldn't have been any sharper. So if those
three square off in the gate, that's going to be
a fun showdown Ohio.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Oh boy, no kidding. Those three just all super impressive
and of course slows to his wiz how to work.
Today he's headed toward another Budweiser Steaks appearance. He's been
second in that race each of the last two years.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
And then June seventh was that last Monday. I know
Clovis connection had a fast five furlong work.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Saw him on the track this morning.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
Yeah, so those two are probably headed for a collision course.
A't somewhere along the line and look forward to seeing that.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Yeah, and you were mentioned yesterday among the three year
old Celine gt had that impressive allowance victory here to go.
What she's three for.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Three this year, three for three this year, and what
a beautiful style she has. She can lay off the
pace and she's fast enough to be up close early
if you want. So she's really on the improve. And
of course we've talked about the Barkleys a little bit
the last few weeks, so she'll be fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
And the heaviest favorite very well could be see that
Tiger in the Auburn Stakes.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
And is deservedly so. He was absolutely sensational in his
yearly debut and certainly around one turn the horse has
been phenomenal. I want to see him around two turns
again because that Gottstein last year was kind of a
trouble filled race for him.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
I think so.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
But yes, he is going to be a blinking number
for sure in that Auburn.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
All right, Steaks Quadruple or Sunday June twenty second here
at Emerald Downs, and some really good events this weekend
as well. Okay, let's get into some sports shorts I'm
gonna go a little NBA here, as we are in
the finals and Indiana's been a big underdog for three
games to Oklahoma City. They've won two of the three, and.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
You know I'm going to interrupt. Yeah, sure, this is
what you're probably going to talk about. I just saw
that Oklahoma City is still a big favorite to win
the series.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
I knew they were a big favorite after Game one,
which they lost.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
I think I read that today.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
It's some formula, I think where they look at what
the point spread is going to be for each individual game.
For instance, Okay, Oklahoma City was five and a half
point favorite last night in Indiana, and they're going to
be you know, four to five tomorrow or next time
they play.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
You know, at some point when someone keeps doing it,
you know a horse racing want to be Sunday sounds easygoer. Well,
easygoer is going to be the big favorite this night.
But when they the other underdog keeps beating them, maybe
they're not an underdog right.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
Well, Indiana is fourteen and five in the playoffs now
and Indiana's thirteen and six, one game worse, and they're
one game worse to Indiana. But as far as the
point spread, and let's face it, Oklahoma City is laying
big points a lot, but that's because they had the
highest average margin of victory and NBA history. In the
(32:25):
regular season. They blew tons and tons of teams out.
They are eight and eleven in the playoffs against the
spread and just six and eleven in their last seventeen
in the playoffs, So eight and eleven overall for Oklahoma
City against the point spread, while Indiana is thirteen and
six against the point spread, four and one against Cleveland
(32:47):
and four and two against the Knicks and three and
two against Milwaukee. So they have just with their different
weapons and their ability to hit the three and improvised
because it looked like Oklahoma City's defense for most of
Game one would carry the day. But another stolen win
(33:08):
by Wasn't that something?
Speaker 5 (33:10):
It was? I also read today two series back, Denver
had Okahoma City down two games to one, So Oklahoma
City has been in this position before.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
That's true. Denver covered four straight in that series and
lost the series. As far as points right, then points bread,
you know this is all you can go up to
the mucle shoot casino and wager on these games. So
Indiana is continues to outplay their odds in the twenty
twenty five NBA playoffs, and they're just two wins away
from a championship. That would be let's see, they'd be
(33:42):
the final they'd be the final ABA team to get
an NBA championship because Denver and of course San Antonio's
won a ton of NBA titles.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
Vince okay, yeah, I only have one quick when this
is a racing one glancing at the forum, I saw
something last week. I don't think I've ever seen before.
There's a horse called mutah Weed, partly owned by Dave
Stottacker who you know, Joe and trained by Mike Maker.
I was looking at a Churchill card last week. They
(34:12):
had a good card and mutah Weed in January fifth
this year was claimed while going off at odds at
thirty one to one. You don't see that too often, no, okay,
and then it comes back three weeks later in his
first start for the New Connections, goes off at thirty
two to one and wins so claimed at thirty one
(34:32):
to one and then wins at thirty two to one.
That's kind of interesting. Well it was claimed it. I
was at Gulfstream this winter, so then I had to
make a ceremonial bet on a horse like that last
week when I then finished only beating three quarters of
a length at eleven to one last Saturday at Churchill Downs,
finishing fourth in a blanket finish.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
Yeah, that is in the oudity department or racing.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
It's always interesting when a horse goes off at big
odds and is claimed because obviously the new connections are looking.
They think they can see something there that they might
be able to correct.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Yeah, all right, tomorrow, first race, seven pm. Let's go
to RaSE four. It's a six and a half furlong
sprint for three year olds and upward, and I think
they're all four and up in there they are. Bluegrass
Go Go came out a winner again this year, just
as he did last year, and he's now two for
four at Emerald Downs with a second, so he's a
(35:31):
legitimate sprinter. I'm going to go it's cracking time for
trainer and Wisdom, who is actually a better miler than
he is a sprinter. But you know that six and
a half is usually not a terrible distance for a miler,
and look at it's cracking times record at six and
a half, five starts three seconds. He's coming off his
(35:54):
seasonal debut, to listen to the music and gunning for
gold and course, listen to the music. Came off that
race and won again. It's cracking time. Draws outside and
there's some speed inside him. And he doesn't pass a
ton of horses in his career. But when you draw
that outside post with a lot of speed inside yet
(36:16):
perfect it just a lot of horses learn how to
stalk when they get in this mode right here.
Speaker 5 (36:22):
Yeah, it gives the jockey a lot of options, especially
when you mentioned when they have speed that's a little
bit tractable.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Kevin kriggerboard, you got him four to one morning line.
I'm looking for. It's cracking time, second off the bench
to run a big race for trainer and wisdom. And
then on Sunday, Sunday's card, we have a nine race card.
It's going to be a big day at Emerald Downs.
Huge data here, it's going to be big. You know what,
I'm not quite done with that race on Sunday. Let's
(36:50):
just kick it off and get ahead on Friday night
with its cracking time. There's my pick for this particular show.
I guess we're time for trivia here, all right. You
know we didn't have a question last week, but the
week before it was named the Emerald Downs Horse, who
was Claimer of the meeting and top Sprinter in the
(37:11):
same year, meaning top Emerald Downs sprinter. So he won
honors at Emerald Downs and he also won claimer of
the meet. That's pretty dang rare Jeremy Devil in twenty fourteen.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
Jesse Velasquez horsey horse.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
I believe he's got like fifteen Emerald Downs wins. He
had was really good. Yeah, yeah, so Dermy Devil. I
didn't get any answers on that. And you know, the
week before e I had a pretty big sin. I
sinned Vince in the world of trivia and Emerald Downs.
I'm gonna may I cull he.
Speaker 5 (37:46):
In a good Catholic shoe. I'm sure you went to confession.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
NUSA beat Striker PhD absolutely cool. All were four year
consecutive Washington Divisional champions. But I forgot Blazing Bella Blue,
who did it for the fourth time last year. How
soon we forget the sorry Petra Lewin and Charlie six.
(38:10):
Blazing Bella Blue part of that foursome of four consecutive
Washington Bred champions. All right, and this week's trivia getting
ready for the stakes, and astute Emerald Downs follower pointed
this out to me, and this one has slipped by me.
(38:31):
I might not have slipped by you. But as far
as Emerald Down's divisional season ending honors, which of course
Kentucky Bread's, Calbird's, anybody's eligible that ran here at that meet.
So there is only one horse in Emerald Down's history
to win divisional honors three times. You know, in my
(38:53):
mind goes to Striker PhD and Noose of Beach right away. Well,
Striker PhD was a top Washington Bread.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
Uh no, you mean in the same category.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
No, it's just divisional honors. They won their division three
years in a row. Striker Striker finished second to Herbie
D in the mount Rainier and then in the mile.
So who got top older horse Herbie.
Speaker 5 (39:21):
DBD because he did run twice and the criteria that's.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Right, Herbid one ran twice one of them both. Nuse Beach
was not top two year old Gallant Sun was, Noose
of Beach was not top three year old thing Machine
winning Machine beat him in the derby, and uh so,
he was at ages four and five. Noose of Beach
was but there's only one horse named that horse. Three
(39:45):
divisional honors boarded it out there, so okay, yeah, I
thought Vince would know that one, but that surprised me.
I've concentrated on over the years. I guess more on
the Washington Bread Honors, but the Emerald Downs Divisional Honors
go even deeper with all of the Kentucky breads, cowbreads, etc. Okay,
send your answers to trivia at Emeraldowns dot com. Okay,
(40:08):
that's the show. Joe Withee and Vince Bruin looking forward
to the weekend at Emerald Downs the Muckleshoot Gold Cup
racing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thanks for listening to horse
Racing Northwest.
Come in macOS It doesn't matter if you love craps,
blackjack machines or dining on the finest Asian, American and
Salis cuisines. It doesn't matter what you do or where
you're coming from.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Mucosu.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
What you do is all at Muckleshoe, an easy drive
from wherever you are. All roads lead to Muckleshoe.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Mucosuit, round the turn and run from home with a
(00:52):
furlong ago.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Fifty Cinco at the inside opens up. Now fifty Cinco
is there on the lead, chased by an need the
nume Mercedes, but seventy yards away, fifty Cinco's been rated
perfect and wins it by two.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
That was fifty Sinco winning at Emerald Downs last week,
our first fab Friday, half price Friday of the meeting,
and many of you listening were out at Emerald Downs
on that June sixth evening, first race, seven pm. Joe
with me and Vince Brown. Joe's back for horse racing Northwest.
(01:30):
Vince fifty Sinco ran a big race.
Speaker 5 (01:33):
He did the fastest mile to date, one thirty five
point one eight. Couple things about that, you know, that's
an improving five year old. He got an eighty four
buyer and six wins, five different wins winning racetracks for
fifty Cinco and he came away from that field really
sharply down the lane. He's a horse to watch. He's
on the move. Interesting also last Friday, Joe, and it
(01:54):
is great to have you back.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
You're a fixture here. And I think I've ever seen
this before. Neil Malarkey pointed it out to me after
the fact that all seven winners last Friday night got claimed.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
That is amazing. Yeah, I mean claiming is certainly not
down at Emerald Downs this year with more horsemen and
you know, just more people involved. So all seven winners
claimed on our first Friday card. Hey, thanks to Phil
Zigler for pinch hitting on horse racing Northwest last week.
I listened to the show at home. Yeah, I was
(02:26):
a little under the weather and you guys had Anthony
stabil the big a. He came through with another Belmont
Stakes winner, Sovereignty. And Patricia McQueen was real interesting of
course to me too, being a huge Secretariat fan, and
she sold all her books last weekend. Thanks for helping
out with that and promoting. She had a fantastic time
(02:50):
she'd sent me in a text she did.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
And you know these books signings, it's they're doing pretty
good and it just shows that we've got a Horsey
audience out here. And yeah, she had a great time.
Of course, it's a great book. As we talked about
all the pictures and the research and the local angles.
She did some good business.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, yeah, And shoot, I don't have the exact information
where one can order a book, but at your usual
place as Secretariat by Patricia McQueen, and if you use
the code Emerald then you get free shipping, so keep
that in mind. It's fifty four to ninety five, just
(03:32):
a tremendous picture book and Secretariat boy, she made him
look like, you know better, sire than I remembered. You know,
I always rooted for him and rooted for his progeny
a whole bunch, but he got bred to a lot
of great mayres. But she certainly went over all the
highlights in a very large picture book. Awesome job. And
(03:53):
Phil Ziggler, thanks Phil for doing the race by race
stuff last weekend for me our track president, and he
sent me a text of the crowd on Friday night.
Our crowds this year you know, we know the handles better,
the field size is up, We're doing great there. But
the crowds have been fantastic, Vince.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
They have, and you know, if I might have a
moment to speak on such a topic, and I know
you and I are always very proud of the crowds
here at embild Down's. But as you look at it
our industry, you see these big iconic venue Santa Eta, Churchill,
Gulfstream Aqueduct, and with the exception of their major days,
there's nobody at these places, and it's a giant failure
(04:34):
of our industry. Their purses are enhanced via auxiliar revenue streams,
which is great, but I find it embarrassing to watch
track feeds and see nobody at the races. And I
follow a lot of social media on racing, and ninety
nine percent of them talk about growing handle. Obviously, of
course that's important. But in the year twenty twenty five,
you know, primarily due to enhanced legalization of wagering casinos,
(04:56):
more recently sports wagering, it's tough to develop new gamblers
and new players. So in face of that, how about
increasing the number of people attending the races paying admission? Parking,
buying hot dogs and beer that we continue to do
well at Emerald Downs. You know, I'm on the sixth floor,
but at least once a day, Joe, I try to
get down and be on the ape, run, get close
(05:16):
to the racetrack. The buzz before a race here is palpable,
every bit as exciting as before a big at bat
at T Mobile Park or a third down play at
Century Lakefield. Yet I watch things like the Global Symposium
Racing and dozens of social media platforms and follows as
has hardly ever even talked about getting people to attend
(05:37):
the races is a sustainable business model for thoroughbred racing. Now,
does everyone come to Emerald Downs for a specific event
that is entirely for the words? Maybe not, But again
I say, so what they're coming here, They're having a
great time, they're in good weather, They're being exposed to
our sport. That's the only way you or I would
have ever been developed as horse fans. So pardon my
(05:58):
diet tribe a little bit. But I've been to a
lot of tracks. You have too, Joe, And Okay, we're
not the biggest track in America, but our presentation is
great and the people here have a fun time and
it's a great way to spend a day.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Oh what are you saying. You're saying that get people
to the track. Yes, you might make a new fan
here or there from these new people, and you might
make a few bucks off them too, exactly. You know
all that, believe me. You know our handle last year
twenty twenty four was not good at all for purses,
and all these concessions and parking and truck revenue, and
(06:39):
you know that all helped go into the bottom line
at Emerald Downs. And that's one reason Phil Ziggler made
the comments he did that were published by Scott Hanson
of the Seattle Times and picked up by so many
others that heisa is not helping small tracks by these
exorbitant fees, that we just don't have the money for that,
and is not good for horse racing at all. I'll
(07:03):
say that easily anyway. But Phil, you know his his
keeping up of our Facebook page Emerald Downs on Facebook.
We have so many followers there, and yes it's it's
promotion heavy, but gosh, you do the news and notes,
which I assume are updated for this week.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
And Joe's Joe, Phil is on there, interacting with people
with the track president. You can ask them questions and
you know sometimes he may argue back and forth, but
that's healthy, you know, you want that. You know, the
people have the tradition of the suits are hiding in
their offs. Not the case at all here at Emerald
Downs and even before Phil, Emerald Downs always had a
good reputation of people enjoying themselves on track and that's
(07:42):
what it's all about. And that gets back to my point.
Looking at these venues where there's no one there, it
breaks my heart because it doesn't need to be that way.
Speaker 6 (07:50):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
I mean, yeah, we've you and I have said several
times maybe on this podcast that you know, the the
Arizona Symposium in the fall to the winter, they should
Phil has been on there, but gosh, you know he
ought to go over step by step how to run
a Corgi day, how to run a wiener dog day,
a bulldog day, a t rex day, grandparents race, the
(08:13):
kids race. Those bring people to the track. They're tried
and true now and they're working again. Great this year.
Tendance is fantastic and of course we have bigger field size.
Vince and I concentrate on the racing end of things
more and the news and notes at our website are fantastic.
And we did a new training day today which is
(08:34):
a little thing but gets a few more eyes as well.
Our podcast, our race to race coverage of Vince. Speaking
of that, let's talk about weekly honors from last week,
which I watched from afar.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Okay, Joe, Yeah. Last week, well, our jockey of the
week Julian Couton. We could have gone with Manny Americano again.
He had another huge week with five or six wins,
I believe, But Julian, a former Emerald Down riding champion.
He had two winners and including a second straight win
on Chuckinnut Bay. And how good was that horse again
last week with another brilliant six fur long race. Here,
(09:12):
So Julian our jockey of the week, the trainer, this
guy's done pretty good.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Joe.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
We met him down in northern California. We were down
at Pleasanton. I believe he's eighty six years old. Mike
Linzini two for six and a man of my stature,
came away from his field last Sunday, So good job
by Mike. The owner RAMA Racing. We know Howard passed
away in twenty twenty four. Howard Hammer, at age one
hundred and three D, continuing the family tradition, owns Chuckinut Bay.
(09:40):
Do you know those silks of rumber Racing have been
in the Emerald Downs Winter circle twenty four of our
thirty seasons here at Emeralds Sins at least once.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah, I didn't know that.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
So they've had a great run here and great to
see d back here last weekend. The Washington brad Well
Chuckinnut Bay has already won it, so we try to
spread around. How about cream de Men four, one, two,
and seven starts now at Emerald Down's career high seventy
seven buyer for her beat a strong field of optional
claiming phillies and mayors. She looks like she might be
(10:10):
headed to a stakes race down the road. Here and
the groom of the week one Carlos Gomez. He works
for Scott Tubbs Sawtooth Bow when the opener last Friday,
So good job by one Carlos there.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Okay, weekly honors spread around? Yeah, Julian couton board slewsed
his whiz for a workout this morning. As we get
closer to those four Stakes on June twenty second, just
what ten days away, so we're looking forward to that
day as well. We have not mentioned Indian Relay Weekend
(10:43):
at Emerald Downs. It is this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Gail Skunkcap, junior broadcaster and publicist for Indian Relay Racing,
is going to join us on today's show and we
are so much looking forward to that. It is a
fantastic spectacle. There are three heats each day Friday and Saturday,
a couple of consolation heats and the championship on Sunday.
(11:07):
The Muckle Shoot Gold Cup at stake, a great purse
to shoot for. But Gail will tell you about Emerald
Downs and the Muckle Shoot Gold Cup. They just love
coming here every year, so that'll be coming up. Reminder,
on the pick threes, we got that twelve percent takeout
which is really strong, and they know you spread out
(11:30):
the wealth on the weekly honors. You know again, Manuel
Americano having a great meet. He's right up there with
Kevin Kriger now the trainer and jockey. Standing's pretty hotly
contested right.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Now, really hotly contested. Kevin with a twenty three to
twenty two lead over many Americano and they've kind of
opened up. Alex Cruz, are five time defending champion, is
tied with Kevin Rosco for third with eleven wins each,
and then Sylvio Amadorn fifth with tenth. Yeah, the training
I might go down to the wire this year. Tim
(12:02):
McCann and Howie Gibson. Tim is nine for twenty eight
and how he is nine for twenty seven. They're tied
for top. Then Justin Evans and Blaine Wright tied for
second with eight apiece, and then right behind them George Rosales,
Frank Luco o'relli and Acedra Tomaio Aceedro another newcomer having
a great go here at Emerald Downs with seven they
all have seven each.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
All right, okay, well yeah, action this weekend Friday Saturday
Sunday first race Friday at seven pm and those are
half price Fridays. Keep that in mind for admission and
several concession items. Also, wear your fab Friday T shirt
for free admission, which so many of you got last
(12:44):
weekend Saturday Sunday first race one fifty and again the
Muckle Shoot Gold Cup. Some just extra action and excitement
at Emerald Downs here in the late spring of twenty
twenty five, looking forward to that. So we'll take a
time out and we'll come back with Gail Skunk Camp
(13:04):
Junior here on horse racing Northwest Muchos.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
It doesn't matter if you love craps, blackjack machines or
dining on the finest Asian, American and Salish cuisines. It
doesn't matter what you do or where you're coming from Mucosuon.
What you do is all at Muckleshoe, an easy drive
from wherever you are. All roads lead to Muckleshoe.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
Mucosuit and Portress Relay is pressing from the outside. Abrahamson
is in third. We've got a horse race to the
finish now and on the outside Portress Relay rising to
the occasion, will win the Muckleshoot Gold Cup.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
That was the twenty twenty four final of the Muckle
Shoot Gold Cup at Emerald Downs last June. Poetress Relay
Jaypachu was the winning rider and the team Pointress Relay
got the victory. They were the eighth different team to
win the Muckle Shoot Gold Cup in eight runnings at
(14:22):
Emerald Downs twenty sixteen to twenty four. We didn't have
the event the COVID year of twenty twenty. But what excitement.
What a great weekend for Emerald Downs and local race fans.
We get our thoroughbreds out there, but then so much
extra excitement. It's something to look forward to. The weather's
going to be great. And joining us right now is
(14:44):
Gail skunk Cap Junior, who is pretty well known in
these parts now as broadcaster and publicist for Indian Relay Racing. Gail,
great to have you, hey.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
It's great to be bat. Joe is going to be
a great weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Oh man. You know we'd get you every year on here,
and it's just so much something to look forward to.
Our vice president, Jack Hodge, is working on this diligently
for ever since January to put the help put it together.
And you're a big part of this too, along with
your daughter Jenna. She's like the producer and you're the
(15:23):
publicist and the broadcaster and the rest of your team
takes over our conference room here for the whole week.
What's going on different? Anything different this year? Vince just
mentioned that all eight former champions are back. That's a
pretty good starting point, isn't it.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
That's really good. It's really good I'm going to be
exciting the starting point of it. I mean, like you mentioned,
Jack has really been working on since January. You know,
it's a big thing every year for Native America, I guess,
and now North America. You know, the Canadians have really
stepped up to the plate on this the last seven years.
They really developed and I went there last year in Edmonton.
(16:01):
They had a big race there one hundred thousand. But
this week is excited to have two of the teams back.
Poches won it last year, and then we invited a
new team this year, so one from Alberta and one
from Saskatchewan. So those, I guess are the new ones.
Great to have the Canadians on.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Board, fantastic. And how about Montana? You being from Montana
and a resident there, and and we'll talk a little
bit about your whole family's history and in this it's
it's pretty deep and extensive. But what about who are
the top Montana teams this year?
Speaker 6 (16:37):
You know, the top Montana teams is the Carlson's teams
as as as usual, you know, the there's Carlson's to
Medicine and I'm Scoffy Picunny. You know, they were past
winners as well, you know, and Star School Martin Little
Plum's team as well, they were past winners as well.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Oh you guys are Montana's voted. All four of those
teams you mentioned have won at Carlson Star School, I'm
Scopy Pecuni and two Medicine that's right to Medicine just
a couple of years ago. With Cody Carlson, he's one
of the top names.
Speaker 6 (17:11):
He was one of the top names, you know. Unfortunately
he circcumbed to injury boy, and he's still healing. You know,
I don't know how many surgeries he had. But at
one of the big relay events in Montana, the Northwest
Montana Fair, who originated in Montana, you know, he got
injured in that event and has still started his slow
(17:33):
trek to recovery. But not to mention the or not
to forget the Crow Nation as well, Cody Brown. You know,
that would be five of the Montana teams that were
past winners here at the Muckleshoot Gold Cup.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
They got a pretty strong hand their events.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Yeah, and I think twenty one teams and all you said, Gail,
and the purse money is like eighty four grand. This year,
and I've heard you say it a few times. This
is kind of the biggest deal for all the relay
teams coming to Emerald Downs every year. It's one of
the big stops on your circuit.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
Oh it is. This is one of the first big stops.
You know, We've already got into relay back back home
and then in South Dakota. I was in South Dakota
two weeks ago for the Morbridge Race at the Chief
Joseph Fairgrounds and that was a huge event. Last week
in Montana at the Miles City Fairgrounds where they have
the famous well Well or Bucking Horse Sale, they had
(18:27):
Indian relay there as well, so this would be a
couple of these teams have attended both of those, and
I think two of them are here this week. But
the big thing since we started a while back, you
know that we got the Muckleshoote tribe in Virginia cross
to thank for bringing relay here.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yep, you bet she and the tribe has been behind
this one hundred percent. Of course, the roots for this,
and I was talking with Gail earlier today, but just
imagine when there was Indian relay racing, I mean years ago,
oh more than that, I'm sure with horses and Native Americans,
(19:04):
Native people and North American continent to get their horses
and then to practice their horsemanship and to come up
with racing, it probably goes way, way way back. It
does go back pretty far in your family, Gale.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
It does, you know, over what in the sixteen hundreds,
you know, as the horses got loose from the Spaniards
and way in the Deep South, you know, and horses
have evolved, you know it and enabled the Native country
or Native America to expand their territories. It made them
stronger in warfare, it made them better hunters and all
(19:40):
that stuff. But to mention going the history of relay
in my family, you know, my uncle Leroy skunk Cap
started relaying in Montana and the first place that he
did it was the Northwest Montana Fair in Kellispell, Montana.
But it was by way of Fort Hall, Idaho. He
married my auntie, She was a edmont in Fort Hall,
(20:01):
and that was you know, they were running relay in there,
and so my uncle wanted to bring it to Montana
and he brought it to the fairgrounds. The guy, I
forget his first name, but Cartwright was the last name,
and he introduced it along with the Demolition Derby to
the Northwest Montana Fair and so that was where it
started in the early eighties. As a young boy, you know,
I was really fascinated by it, and you know it
(20:25):
has really evolved in Montana since then.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Yeah, that's great, Vince again accurate with his figures tossing,
not just tossing figures out. But you said five hundred
years in Gail. Yeah, mentioned in the sixteen wards.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Once again Gae the fans coming out. How does how
does Indian relay work?
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Again?
Speaker 6 (20:42):
Basically, well that the uh, the relay here is not
the typical Indian relay. It's normally run with three horses.
And let's see, there was a rider, one mugger and
an exchangeholder. They switched three times. Here each horse is
going to run half a mile. You know, the race
is two miles here, so we added two extra horses
(21:03):
in this. The object of the game the horses the
baton I can relay racing. The rider starts with the
rider a mounted start. He goes around the track or
the half a mile, and he goes into his first exchange.
There's the team members on there. It's called the mugger
or catcher. He's got to catch that horse when that
rider's coming in. You know, they're coming in about thirty
(21:25):
miles an hour, and they got to gear down. You know,
that horse has just run really hard and he's got
to gear down on that and probably five miles an
hour pound jump off his horse and pounce onto the
next one. Both horses have to touch I mean both feet,
excuse me, and got to touch the ground. And he
jumps onto his other horse, and he goes around and
does it again, you know, and keep in mind that
(21:46):
the uh there's holders in the back too, so they
got to catch that horse that just run and keep
him calm because there's boxes in the back too. That's
in our rules. If the horses get outside, there's a
it's a disqualification. So that guy has got to keep
that horse calm and then get ready for the next one.
So it's really exciting. The horses feel it, the team
(22:06):
members feel it, the fans feel it. It's something really
exciting to see. And that's the way in relays run.
You know, it's the wildness of rodeo, the speed of
thoroughbred horse racing, and the teamwork of NASCAR all three
and one. You know that was from my good friend
the late Russell Redcrow who put that together. And that's
(22:26):
exactly how it goes.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
It applies for sure. And yeah, our jockeys, our Thoroughbred jockeys,
look at these guys riding bareback and jumping off two
feet on the ground and they're just immediately through the
air again onto the back of the next horse at
these exchange points.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Yeah, that's awesome. And what I enjoyed Joe too and
Gail is kind of the whole culture of the weekend.
There's real Indian flavor here at Emerald Downs all three days.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
This is a family event, our family sport. You know,
these teams travel together. You know, they're heavy in prayer,
they're heavy in our traditions and customs, you know in
the back. But you know they camp and you know
they take really good care of their horses. You know
most times are all the time, and the horses are
fed before they are and you know they put a
lot into the equine that you know, it gives them
(23:18):
the upper hand and competition, you know, so it's really
good and you know the horses are taking care of
really well. But the family, you know, the kids get
involved in all of that and taking care of the
horses as well.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, we're gonna have the draw tomorrow and of course
the first three heats will be tomorrow night at Emerald
Downs first Thoroughbread Race at seven pm. Yeah, that's just
a huge get together of all the families coming in
for the draw and there's a ceremonial meal and that
kind of kicks things off early tomorrow afternoon. So that'll
be the first official point of the Muckle Shoot Gold
(23:53):
Cup this weekend at Emerald Downs. Just fantastic action and
we you know, hope everything goes well as it has.
I mean, these guys are good at what they do.
But boy, these horses, as you said, they're coming in
fast and they practice. There's plenty of practice and.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Sawesome today, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah, so a lot of ex thoroughbred race horses are
involved in this too. They speed around those turns, exchanges
at the half mile, pool on the backstretch, exchange again
at the finish line, and one more exchange at the backstretches.
Gail said four different horses used by the same rider
in the two mile event and three qualifying heats both
(24:35):
Friday and Saturday toward placement in the final, and it
just it can't get more wide open. With all eight
former champs back in action this year, Gayl will be
calling the action with Tom Harris and you guys have
worked together several years, so your trade offs are pretty
seamless as far as that goes. Gale.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
Yeah, Tom has gotten really good with that and you know,
Joy working with Tom a lot, and he really understands
the event.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Yeah, he's been exposed to it in another area. So
Emerald downs part of the circuit something to look forward
to each year. And then I'm sure with all these
teams from Montana, there's some events in Montana later this
spring and summer.
Speaker 6 (25:19):
There is a lot of events in there. Fort Hall
has a big one though coming down to the end
of the summer, but a lot of them taking places
that a lot of the power celebrations during in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho.
All of those places have end in relay as well.
But one of the bigger, bigger ones too is in
Fort Hall. They call it Nationals. Another one is been
(25:40):
shared in Wyoming. They call it the World World Championships.
And you know those are huge events.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Yeah, and most of those could be seen on YouTube,
and sixty Minutes did a story on Indian relay racing
since we've met last and that can be accessed, I'm
sure through.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
One other thing I avnaged is you guys, it's pretty
crazy out there, but there are a bunch of judges
and they writers can't just do anything. A few years
ago he had a little bit of a incident in
the stretches like in thoroughbred racing, where you can't just
cut a guy off or anything. Right, you guys have
a whole host of judges and timers and a big staff.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
That's right, you know, and gentlemen pulled them all together,
and so it's probably how would you describe it, organized chaos? Yeah,
I guess. And those judges really come into play on
that too. So there is some guidelines, our regulations rules
that we follow by too, and you know, if it's
not prohibiting the team from a better placing, you know
(26:37):
that it's it's okay. Everything is fair game. But if
it is prohibiting, you know, the judges are right on
top of it, you know. And that's one of the
reasons this is called the Big Show. Most of the teams,
a lot of the fans that follow in in relay.
They all know this is a big show and a
lot of the Native American people are trying to get
here just to see this because you know, this is
one of the best or this is the best place
(26:59):
of Indian real life. You know, the hospitality that the
Muckle Shoot does, Emerald Downs, and just the organization of
this event. The big show as they all know.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
It, the big show that makes us feel good because
we're part of it. We enjoy it. And it is
here Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Indian Relay racing the Muckleshoot
Gold Cup on the line once again and Gail skunk
Cap Junior will be calling the action and his staff,
(27:27):
most notably your daughter Jenna, does a super job of organizing,
as Vince said, the judges and all the team members
that go toward putting this whole product on. So Gail,
we're just getting close and we'll be looking forward to tomorrow.
So thanks for joining us again.
Speaker 6 (27:46):
Great looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Thank you, Gail Skunk Cap Junior. And Gail, I'm going
to bring a picture out on our Handicappers corner show
tomorrow and you're going to identify it from a one
of your media opportunity in the past, and we'll do
that tomorrow here at Emerald Downs. Taking a short break,
coming back here on Horse Racing Northwest. The Muckle Shoot
(28:08):
Gold Cup. Indian Relay races return to Emerald Downs June
thirteenth to fifteenth. The best teams in North America compete
for over seventy five thousand dollars. Relay racing is a
Native American sport where bareback riders switch horses three times Friday.
Racing begins at seven pm Saturday and Sunday at one
fifty pm. There's also great food, entertainment and exciting thoroughbred
(28:30):
races each day. Don't miss Indian Relay Racing June thirteenth
to fifteenth only at Emerald Downs. Horse Racing Northwest continues
our third and final segment and vents so much looking
forward to this week, and we've got some great thoroughbred
events too. I'll make a couple of selections here, but boy,
(28:54):
a week from Sunday is June twenty second, and that's
the first of our stakes days at Emerald Downs this
year and a Steaks quadruple header coming up that after
stake spectacular.
Speaker 5 (29:04):
Yeah, and we'll have older Phillies and mayors older horses,
and we'll have three year old colts and Guildings and
three year old Phillies. Just well, I'm sure we'll talk
about a length next week. I just off the top
of my head, I'm that hastings for Phillies and mirrors, Joe.
I've seen three really good older Phillies and Marors already
at the meeting. We saw a loha breeze of course
(29:25):
last week, but we've seen attracted for Blaine Wright and
then we saw fun money for Justin Evans. All three
of them couldn't have been any sharper. So if those
three square off in the gate, that's going to be
a fun showdown Ohio.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Oh boy, no kidding. Those three just all super impressive
and of course slows to his wiz how to work.
Today he's headed toward another Budweiser Steaks appearance. He's been
second in that race each of the last two years.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
And then June seventh was that last Monday. I know
Clovis connection had a fast five furlong work.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Saw him on the track this morning.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
Yeah, so those two are probably headed for a collision course.
A't somewhere along the line and look forward to seeing that.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Yeah, and you were mentioned yesterday among the three year
old Celine gt had that impressive allowance victory here to go.
What she's three for.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Three this year, three for three this year, and what
a beautiful style she has. She can lay off the
pace and she's fast enough to be up close early
if you want. So she's really on the improve. And
of course we've talked about the Barkleys a little bit
the last few weeks, so she'll be fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
And the heaviest favorite very well could be see that
Tiger in the Auburn Stakes.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
And is deservedly so. He was absolutely sensational in his
yearly debut and certainly around one turn the horse has
been phenomenal. I want to see him around two turns
again because that Gottstein last year was kind of a
trouble filled race for him.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
I think so.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
But yes, he is going to be a blinking number
for sure in that Auburn.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
All right, Steaks Quadruple or Sunday June twenty second here
at Emerald Downs, and some really good events this weekend
as well. Okay, let's get into some sports shorts I'm
gonna go a little NBA here, as we are in
the finals and Indiana's been a big underdog for three
games to Oklahoma City. They've won two of the three, and.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
You know I'm going to interrupt. Yeah, sure, this is
what you're probably going to talk about. I just saw
that Oklahoma City is still a big favorite to win
the series.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
I knew they were a big favorite after Game one,
which they lost.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
I think I read that today.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
It's some formula, I think where they look at what
the point spread is going to be for each individual game.
For instance, Okay, Oklahoma City was five and a half
point favorite last night in Indiana, and they're going to
be you know, four to five tomorrow or next time
they play.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
You know, at some point when someone keeps doing it,
you know a horse racing want to be Sunday sounds easygoer. Well,
easygoer is going to be the big favorite this night.
But when they the other underdog keeps beating them, maybe
they're not an underdog right.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
Well, Indiana is fourteen and five in the playoffs now
and Indiana's thirteen and six, one game worse, and they're
one game worse to Indiana. But as far as the
point spread, and let's face it, Oklahoma City is laying
big points a lot, but that's because they had the
highest average margin of victory and NBA history. In the
(32:25):
regular season. They blew tons and tons of teams out.
They are eight and eleven in the playoffs against the
spread and just six and eleven in their last seventeen
in the playoffs, So eight and eleven overall for Oklahoma
City against the point spread, while Indiana is thirteen and
six against the point spread, four and one against Cleveland
(32:47):
and four and two against the Knicks and three and
two against Milwaukee. So they have just with their different
weapons and their ability to hit the three and improvised
because it looked like Oklahoma City's defense for most of
Game one would carry the day. But another stolen win
(33:08):
by Wasn't that something?
Speaker 5 (33:10):
It was? I also read today two series back, Denver
had Okahoma City down two games to one, So Oklahoma
City has been in this position before.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
That's true. Denver covered four straight in that series and
lost the series. As far as points right, then points bread,
you know this is all you can go up to
the mucle shoot casino and wager on these games. So
Indiana is continues to outplay their odds in the twenty
twenty five NBA playoffs, and they're just two wins away
from a championship. That would be let's see, they'd be
(33:42):
the final they'd be the final ABA team to get
an NBA championship because Denver and of course San Antonio's
won a ton of NBA titles.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
Vince okay, yeah, I only have one quick when this
is a racing one glancing at the forum, I saw
something last week. I don't think I've ever seen before.
There's a horse called mutah Weed, partly owned by Dave
Stottacker who you know, Joe and trained by Mike Maker.
I was looking at a Churchill card last week. They
(34:12):
had a good card and mutah Weed in January fifth
this year was claimed while going off at odds at
thirty one to one. You don't see that too often, no, okay,
and then it comes back three weeks later in his
first start for the New Connections, goes off at thirty
two to one and wins so claimed at thirty one
(34:32):
to one and then wins at thirty two to one.
That's kind of interesting. Well it was claimed it. I
was at Gulfstream this winter, so then I had to
make a ceremonial bet on a horse like that last
week when I then finished only beating three quarters of
a length at eleven to one last Saturday at Churchill Downs,
finishing fourth in a blanket finish.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
Yeah, that is in the oudity department or racing.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
It's always interesting when a horse goes off at big
odds and is claimed because obviously the new connections are looking.
They think they can see something there that they might
be able to correct.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Yeah, all right, tomorrow, first race, seven pm. Let's go
to RaSE four. It's a six and a half furlong
sprint for three year olds and upward, and I think
they're all four and up in there they are. Bluegrass
Go Go came out a winner again this year, just
as he did last year, and he's now two for
four at Emerald Downs with a second, so he's a
(35:31):
legitimate sprinter. I'm going to go it's cracking time for
trainer and Wisdom, who is actually a better miler than
he is a sprinter. But you know that six and
a half is usually not a terrible distance for a miler,
and look at it's cracking times record at six and
a half, five starts three seconds. He's coming off his
(35:54):
seasonal debut, to listen to the music and gunning for
gold and course, listen to the music. Came off that
race and won again. It's cracking time. Draws outside and
there's some speed inside him. And he doesn't pass a
ton of horses in his career. But when you draw
that outside post with a lot of speed inside yet
(36:16):
perfect it just a lot of horses learn how to
stalk when they get in this mode right here.
Speaker 5 (36:22):
Yeah, it gives the jockey a lot of options, especially
when you mentioned when they have speed that's a little
bit tractable.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Kevin kriggerboard, you got him four to one morning line.
I'm looking for. It's cracking time, second off the bench
to run a big race for trainer and wisdom. And
then on Sunday, Sunday's card, we have a nine race card.
It's going to be a big day at Emerald Downs.
Huge data here, it's going to be big. You know what,
I'm not quite done with that race on Sunday. Let's
(36:50):
just kick it off and get ahead on Friday night
with its cracking time. There's my pick for this particular show.
I guess we're time for trivia here, all right. You
know we didn't have a question last week, but the
week before it was named the Emerald Downs Horse, who
was Claimer of the meeting and top Sprinter in the
(37:11):
same year, meaning top Emerald Downs sprinter. So he won
honors at Emerald Downs and he also won claimer of
the meet. That's pretty dang rare Jeremy Devil in twenty fourteen.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
Jesse Velasquez horsey horse.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
I believe he's got like fifteen Emerald Downs wins. He
had was really good. Yeah, yeah, so Dermy Devil. I
didn't get any answers on that. And you know, the
week before e I had a pretty big sin. I
sinned Vince in the world of trivia and Emerald Downs.
I'm gonna may I cull he.
Speaker 5 (37:46):
In a good Catholic shoe. I'm sure you went to confession.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
NUSA beat Striker PhD absolutely cool. All were four year
consecutive Washington Divisional champions. But I forgot Blazing Bella Blue,
who did it for the fourth time last year. How
soon we forget the sorry Petra Lewin and Charlie six.
(38:10):
Blazing Bella Blue part of that foursome of four consecutive
Washington Bred champions. All right, and this week's trivia getting
ready for the stakes, and astute Emerald Downs follower pointed
this out to me, and this one has slipped by me.
(38:31):
I might not have slipped by you. But as far
as Emerald Down's divisional season ending honors, which of course
Kentucky Bread's, Calbird's, anybody's eligible that ran here at that meet.
So there is only one horse in Emerald Down's history
to win divisional honors three times. You know, in my
(38:53):
mind goes to Striker PhD and Noose of Beach right away. Well,
Striker PhD was a top Washington Bread.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
Uh no, you mean in the same category.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
No, it's just divisional honors. They won their division three
years in a row. Striker Striker finished second to Herbie
D in the mount Rainier and then in the mile.
So who got top older horse Herbie.
Speaker 5 (39:21):
DBD because he did run twice and the criteria that's.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Right, Herbid one ran twice one of them both. Nuse Beach
was not top two year old Gallant Sun was, Noose
of Beach was not top three year old thing Machine
winning Machine beat him in the derby, and uh so,
he was at ages four and five. Noose of Beach
was but there's only one horse named that horse. Three
(39:45):
divisional honors boarded it out there, so okay, yeah, I
thought Vince would know that one, but that surprised me.
I've concentrated on over the years. I guess more on
the Washington Bread Honors, but the Emerald Downs Divisional Honors
go even deeper with all of the Kentucky breads, cowbreads, etc. Okay,
send your answers to trivia at Emeraldowns dot com. Okay,
(40:08):
that's the show. Joe Withee and Vince Bruin looking forward
to the weekend at Emerald Downs the Muckleshoot Gold Cup
racing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thanks for listening to horse
Racing Northwest.
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