Registration is appreciated - but not required to attend. This just helps us to be ready to provide enough seating  for everyone and a chance to enjoy these opportunites.   Thank you!

Posted: May 07, 2012 9:56 PM EDT Updated: May 07, 2012 9:56 PM EDT
Lisa Loevsky - email  KNDU-TV 25 Yakima, WA

KENNEWICK, Wash. -- Fast horses and big crowds highlighted the final weekend of horse racing at Sun Downs this Spring. But event organizers came very close to pulling the plug on the quarter century tradition.

"It's been a struggle but we plan on running next year," says Shorty Martin, the Racing Secretary and starter for the Spring Meet at Sun Downs for the last 13 years. This year was one of the busiest years with almost 3,500 attending the races Saturday, day of Kentucky Derby and an additional 2,500 on Sunday.

But a big crowd doesn't always mean a first place finish financially for the non for profit group, the Tri-Cities Horse Racing Organization. "Our jockey insurance which was our biggest expense was around $3,500 a day last year. This year it was $11,000 a day," says Martin.

So a group that's been around for two years is stepping up to help, The Sun Downs Training Center. "We're just going to do whatever we need to do to help them out, help them to continue," says Bob Lawrence with STC, "It just gets so expensive. $150,000 - $160,000 to put the race on in the Spring, including the insurance which is nearly $70,000.


The two year old organization has the lease at the fairgrounds year round, besides fair time. Lawrence says, it should take some pressure off. "One of the problems was the facility. The county didn't want to keep it open for a lot of reasons. They had good reasons and we negotiated a good deal, and we took it upon ourselves to open the facility," says Lawrence.


Last month, Walla Walla District Senator Mike Hewitt sponsored a law to help smaller communities keep their horse races despite the high costs. The law lets smaller tracks accept private dollars for funding, something they weren't allowed to do in the past.

Also,if a small track decides to cancel a race a particular year, they are still eligible to receive state funding the following year. Previously, they had to run races for five years back to back to get any sort of state funding.

Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule

SUN - JULY 15 Inaugural Handicap 3yo & up; 6 furlongs $10,000

MON - SEPT 3 Catalina Harbor Invitational 2yo fillies; 6 furlongs $10,000

MON - SEPT 3 Ex Mountain Cop Invitational 2yo c&g; 6 furlongs $10,000

MON - SEPT 3 Jimbos Fire Ant Invitational 3yo fillies; one mile $10,000

MON - SEPT 3 Tom Two Invitational 3yo c&g; one mile $10,000

MON - SEPT 3 Silver Patrona Invitational f&m 3yo & up; one mile $10,000

MON - SEPT 3 Portland Mile 3yo & up; one mile $35,000

SAT - OCT 20 Bill Wineberg Stakes 2yo OB c&g; 6 furlongs $15,000

SUN - OCT 21 Janet Wineberg Stakes 2yo OB fillies; 6 furlongs $15,000

SAT - NOV 18 Oregon Hers 3yo OB fillies; one mile $10,000

SAT - NOV 18 Oregon His 3yo OB c&g; 1 1/16 mile $10,000

SAT - NOV 18 Lethal Grande Oregon Sprint Championship 3yo & up OB; 6 furlongs $10,000

SAT - NOV 18 Oregon Debutante Stakes 2yo OB fillies; one mile $10,000

SAT - NOV 18 Don Jackson Futurity 2yo OB; one mile $20,000

 

City of Roses Filly and Mare Sprint Series

WED - AUG 15 1st Leg f&m 3yo & up; Clm $2,500; 5 furlongs $4,300

WED - AUG 29 2nd Leg f&m 3yo & up; Clm $4,000; 5 1/2 furlongs $5,000

WED - SEPT 19 Final f&m 3yo & up; 6 furlongs $20,000

 

McFadden Memorial Sprint Claiming Series

WED - AUG 22 1st Leg 3yo & up; Clm $2,500; 5 furlongs $4,300

WED - SEPT 5 2nd Leg 3yo & up; Clm $4,000; 5 1/2 furlongs $5,000

WED - SEPT 26 Final 3yo & up; 6 furlongs $20,000

 

Oregon HBPA Route Claiming Series

SUN - OCT 28 1st Leg 3yo & up; Clm $2,500; 1 1/16 Mile $4,300

SUN - NOV 18 2nd Leg 3yo & up; Clm $4,000; 1 1/8 Mile $5,000

SAT - DEC 8 Final 3yo & up; 1 1/4 Mile $20,000