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Winter Racing At Playfair Looks Like Long Shot Extending Emerald Downs’ Season More Likely

By Dan Weaver danwe@spokesman.com

Hope may have run out on Playfair Race Course on Friday.

Although the state horse racing commission at its Friday hearing in Auburn didn’t say no to winter racing in Spokane, Inland Northwest thoroughbred interests appeared to be running a distant second to another option.

That would be the extension of the season at Emerald Downs while the Central Washington Fair Association completes the licensing process on behalf of Yakima Meadows.

Two groups - the state thoroughbred breeders association and the horsemen’s group, the HBPA asked the commission to authorize an extended meet at Emerald.

The commission has only one formal application for winter dates, that from Playfair.

But Greg Stewart of the Central Washington Fair Association said his group will apply for a license by next week. He said the fair group has no objection to Emerald Downs extending its current meeting while the Yakima group goes through the licensing process.

Playfair officials again presented their case. Dan Hillyard, speaking for the current license holder at the Spokane track, said questions over safety, financing and competitive racing have been addressed.

A meteorologist, Dave Torchia, pointed out that it gets cold in Yakima, too.

Commission chair Barbara Shinpoch suggested that live racing could be suspended in the state, apparently until the situation in Yakima takes clearer shape.

Emerald Downs officials said the best solution is a winter meet at Yakima. Failing that, the Auburn track could be operated three days a week from Dec. 6 through March 3.

Playfair has asked for Nov. 22 through March 23. The Spokane track’s dates that became routine through the 1990s - mid-September through November - were wiped out by a later-than-anticipated June opening at Emerald. The Auburn track’s 100-day season pushed its inaugural season into the weeks that Playfair had been allowed to run its race programs statewide.

A commission decision is expected next week.

, DataTimes