Auburn Racetrack Wins Ruling

Backers of a new thoroughbred racetrack planned for Auburn are in the homestretch.

A day after a major state Supreme Court victory, project developers won another crucial round Friday in federal court in Seattle.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Zilly refused a bid by the Citizens Alliance to Protect Our Wetlands (CAPOW) to halt construction of the track. He denied a request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction.

“Two big victories in two days has us pulling ahead fast,” said Seattle attorney Peter Buck, who represents Northwest Racing Associates, the group backing the project.

CAPOW attorney Jeff Eustis lamented his client’s latest setback.

“It’s a dark day for CAPOW, but as they say, ‘It ain’t over til it’s over,’ and it’s not over,” Eustis said.

He said CAPOW could still ask Zilly to rule on the merits of the lawsuit and appeal that decision to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

Northwest Racing plans to build a track to replace Longacres, which closed in 1993 after its Renton site was sold to The Boeing Co. Western Washington has been without a thoroughbred racing track since.