Emerald Downs

Don’t waste your money like I said before it’s a waste of money it is a mid level track that doesn’t really cater to the needs. Of the horse people I was in the biz for years and emerald downs was not a thought when I was training the horses are low caliber the purses don’t match conditions and the riders are a bit over weight not like the riders in Fla some of them wouldn’t make it at a track like gulf stream park they fit for quarters and the fair circuit but forget tracks like Santa Anita or las alomitas

We come once every summer the last few years and it’s always a great time. I really don’t know much about racing but kinda just figure it out as we go along. We always get a deal like on Amazon which comes with the booklet and some comps for drinks/​food. I think everything is decently priced for what it is and it’s really fun to watch the horses race. I recommend just going up to the very front and watching them up close.
Parking can be a bit of a pain but last time I came I was super pregnant so we valet’ed it and I thought it was reasonable.

Had a great time here! Clean facilities, nice staff, plenty of food choices. Indoor & outdoor seating.

We were looking forward to Emerald Downs. It was such a beautiful day with the moutain showing with full sunshine. We asked about the Seahawks game in advance and was told it would be on a big screen in the «champions spots bar». The game was not available on any of the 100’s of tv’s and when we asked to have it put on were made to feel horrible. Needless to say amongst the many levels of tv’s there was not a single space to enjoy Seahawks and horses. Very disappointing, we ran out and headed to the nearest sports bar. If emerald downs wants to improve their turn out and bring in a younger crowd they need to consider their viewing screens. They truly have 100’s of televisions and act like it’s a crime to change 1 from horses. Highly disappointed from the feel of emerald downs thankful it was fan appreciation day and he did not lose major money on parking and 1 beer.

I’ve always wanted to come here but some friends told me not to expect Del Mar (San Diego) race track quality. After last night’s experience, I am excited to go back again.
+ parking (free general admission parking or $ 7 premium… just walk, or take the free shuttle)
+ Groupon (if you can score a discount ticket it’s definitely worth it!)
+ $ 7 general admission
+ pretty good food choices that don’t break the bank
+ look for deal nights where the beer is only $ 2.50!
+ lots of machines and attendants that can take bets
I love how you can sit pretty close to the track or up on the bleachers/​stands. It’s a fun experience for all!

My wife purchased a Groupon deal for the races so off to the races we went. She has been several times in the past; however, this was my first time.
Paid parking can be found for $ 7 (cash only).
There were several families with their young children in tow, so unlike the casinos, minors are allowed at Emerald Downs.
Small back-​backs and/​or coolers (small enough to fit under stadium seating) can be brought in. No alcohol or glass bottles allowed. All beverages must also be factory sealed. One can also bring in their own snacks to munch on.
There are two restaurants on site, one a deli and the other grilled/​deep fried food (Paddock Grille). There is also a bar on site (Champions Bar) which serves only alcohol, no food. Both restaurants and bar accept credit cards (we used Discover). The deli and the bar were both open at 12:00pm. The Grille didn’t open until 1:00pm.
There are a couple different beer stands throughout the area that each offer different brews. These brew stands are cash only. If you don’t have cash. there is an ATM on site but try to avoid those fees if possible. You can also bring the drinks from the Champions Bar (credit cards accepted) back to your seat.
My wife and I shared a chicken Strip Basket for $ 8 from the Paddock Grill. Brews were running $ 6.50 for domestic and $ 7 (16oz) for micro.
Thank you Emerald Downs for an exciting day of gambling.

Okay, for starters, I know nothing about horse racing and won’t pretend to. That being said, I have heard such awesome things about Emerald downs. I got tickets for free and decided eh, why not check it off the bucket list/​yelp list.
The facility itself is nice, clean and well kept. Staff is friendly.
We came during food truck weekend., When we got there it was not packed but became that way quickly.
I know nothing about betting on horses and honestly what little I did see, it didn’t seem like the payouts were that good on what I would be wagering so I decided to not.
The track is nice and the racing was cool to watch. It is family friendly and I like that they have designated areas for smoking that are away from people.

I am not a race fan so consider that in my review. First of all they appear to have Limited handicap parking — we were fairly early and they were all filled. We paid extra to go into what appeared to be a close up lot only to find most of it was for the valet parking. Our daughter paid a lot less further down — grabbed the track bus and beat us both coming and going — first rip off.
Next — I am use to races where they announce who is in the lead and make it exciting. The first few races were at the most 2 blocks long — really — I could almost run that. If that is a training race — why have so many and why do it on a holiday Very disappointing.
We were there for Fathers day in the only other times I have been there was on holidays. It seems like they had more activities for the kids in the past — virtually nothing for them to do — remember it was Fathers day.
The time between races seems long — I would think they could get more organized and move the races along but I am not a race fan — so perhaps I am missing something.

This is my hide out when I’m home in Washington. Great place to watch the horses and get to know great people. My parents have been coming here for years. The horse owners are great to get to know. You can actually get in a buy stock in the horses and help out the owners. This is not a huge money maker but if you are a horse fanatic it’s nice to be behind the scenes.
Made friends with some of the Jockeys and even help with the trainers and groomers feed and brush the horses. They really are taken care of and alot of love goes into them. I have seen first hand how these horse respond to people Good and bad. But nothing is more spectacular then watching a horse you bonded with win. Especially when the come back all cocky. Yes they know when they win and they like to show it off. Lol.
Have a blast!

They race horses here… They use John Deere on the track, not AGCO… just stupid
The most common winner’s name is Porter. His nickname is American Pharaoh and has won not only the triple crown but has competed undercover in the past 3 Iditarod’s as a giant Siberian Husky and DOMINATED! He even pulls «3» M1 Abrams tanks in tow.
In his last undercover Marine mission he galloped across Afghanistan and back in under 20 minutes placing over 30 claymores and disabling 200+ landmines.
In his last trip to the family farm he bankrupted the Alfalfa division by devouring 1,435 acres of a top notch Egyptian alfalfa blend, only to puke it back up due to drinking 76 kegs of Coors Original in 24 hours. His favorite meal is Tri-​Tip steak.
The Denver Broncos have contacted him to play both QB and WR after Peyton Manning finally retires.
Back at the stud-​farm he has impregnanted over 2100 thoroughbred mares creating thee greatest genetic line of any species known to man; better than the Rothschilds.
In review… find Porter, get his autograph, sell it for a lot of $$$$

Personally I thought this was a great place to be physically because seeing it on tv, is different than seeing it in its entirety. The race was amazing up close and pretty cool to see. Though the horses seemed a bit tired, I know they’re in good hands. Trained to run. I thought it was great to see the riders too up close and say hello etc. Overall a great experience thanks to my friend for taking me etc.

I came here for a graduation party for my friend’s kid. So I got in for free. But the front entrance is clearly marked so it’s easy to figure out where to buy tickets and get in. There is paid parking up front but I parked in the general or free parking lot. There is small busses and trolleys that can transport you from your parking lot to the front entrance. It’s free but the drivers do accept tips. While some think it’s just lazy to not make the 5 – 10 minute walk, I thought it was fun. Plus I was happy to not have to walk in the hot sun. And the drivers were nice so that was great too.
For the party I was at, we were seated in the mid-​level, near the food. My view was pretty good, though there was some tents and such blocking parts of the track. The upper levels with the best views are reserved for VIP and horse owners.
I couldn’t hear the announcer over the loud speaker at all. So I had to rely on reading the large reader board and the few small TVs to see the results of each race.
Before each race, you can go to the left (while facing the track) to take a look at the horses. This is a staging area where the horses get their saddles and jockeys put on. It’s a great area for pictures.
For the gambling — I recommend you buy the $ 2.50 program for the day to help you out. It lists each race, approximate start times and a list of each competing horse. In the center of the second floor (near the food) is a big wall of machines you can place your bets on. There are also a few windows where you can have someone help you. The machines don’t explain much but if you use basic reasoning skills, you can figure it out on your own. I used the machine with no problems. You can bet big money or just a few dollars.
All around I had a great time here. Mt Rainier looked amazing against the blue sky background and it was awesome seeing all the beautiful horses do what they love doing! I was very happy my friend had her kid’s graduation party here because it couldn’t have been more amazing and fun!
Go Stryker PhD!
(My favorite horse)

Wow, what a surprisingly fun way to spend an afternoon. I had a great time checking out the horses, the riders, looking at the odds and statistics and talking to others enjoying the races.
It was $ 7 for entry and then we spent $ 2-​$ 4 betting on individual races. We actually did pretty well. It’s fun to take a chance on a slightly educated guess and then watch for the results, you win some, you lose some, and in the end you’ve had a good, fun day without having to spend much.
Be prepared as you’ll be outside, which is nice, if you’re prepared, hot or cold having the right stuff is important as this is a place to be outside unless you choose to go for one of the higher prices seating sections.
On a good day Mt. Rainier is the back ground to your race day, but the mountain doesn’t always show itself.
Everyone that I encountered working here was especially helpful, one person even going out of their way to help me when I needed assistance.
I’ll be back.

I’m just going to be honest and tell everybody on Unilocal up front that I’m not interested in horse racing. That’s right, I said it. Let me reiterate. I have no interest or knowledge in gambling or horse races. So I must have decided to come here and torture myself so I could give Emerald Downs a negative review on purpose, right? Well, no. My parents got free tickets to come here, and so they were like, «hey Kevin, wanna go see horses run really fast for free?» Well, I knew what my answer was. Another life experience and Unilocal review down.
Before we even begin, it is necessary to mention that the audience for these races is so big that their parking lot apparently requires a shuttle of sorts to ferry customers to and from the track. Wow, what a waste of gasoline. It was only like a five-​minute walk from where we had parked our car, but my parents insisted on trying the shuttle out and it was pretty hot that day. Hey, at least the ride was free.
General admission here is $ 7; w/​rewards is $ 5. Whatever that means. Moving on. My parents and I got to enjoy seats on these nice (sarcasm) bleachers out in the sun with a great (sarcasm again) view of the track. Seriously, whoever designed this thing needs to be fired. The day was hot, and so some shade would have been nice. You know what also would have been nice is elevated seating so that the spectators can have a view of the entire track and not just the part that’s closest to them. I know, what a crazy idea.
So it went like this. The horses would run by us really fast, during which time we could see them clearly for ten seconds at the most. After the race results were determined, we would then sit around and wait for like twenty minutes for the next race to start, and it was basically the same tedious process rinsed and repeated. This was so boring that my parents and I just left after the second round. We have a pretty good idea of what we were missing out on, i.e. nothing.
For the adventurous gamblers out there, yes there is horse betting. There’s even a certain art to it that I so don’t care to learn. I never even figured out how to place a bet here, but they did have a sort of wall of fame displaying the prize money that people had won here in the past. Somebody scored $ 17,480.75 from winning here. What a fantastic reward. With that money, I’d pay for the ability to never be bored in my life again.

Love, love, love this place! We had a great time even though it was raining — this is Seattle so you shouldn’t ever let a little rain ruin your day.
You can park in general parking and walk, pay $ 7 to park closer, or pay $ 10 to valet. Then it’s $ 7 per person to enter. Then it’s $ 2.50 for a program. You can buy a reserved seat upstairs for $ 2.50. So the fees stack up, but the entertainment can last hours (and you may win some money while you’re there) so for me it’s worth it.
My favorite part was the guy who explained how betting works and how to read the program. I’ve been to a few other tracks and none of them have been nearly as educational and the guy who explained it also made it quick and interesting.
Food is meh, but no one goes there for the food.
All in all, we had a great time and we’ll certainly be back for more.

Love love LOVE the horse races. Went with my hubby on a Friday night (our favorite night to go) because Bud Light is $ 2.50! :) Can’t go wrong…
We went with a Groupon deal which gave us entry into the facility along with a program and a $ 10 voucher for food.
Food was what you would expect at a place like this… not the greatest… fried, battered, chilied, cheesed… you know what I’m talking about. But the overall rating was based on the experience! :) There were seven races that started from 6:45pm and every 20? minutes after that. I think we left at 9 something…
Sad that it’s in Auburn and so far from my house. I would totally go more often but since I can’t, I always try to make it out at least once a year.
Till next year Emerald Downs!
Side note: There is an area designated to teaching newbies on how to place bets as soon as you enter so if you don’t know what you’re doing, head in that direction.

I live close by, so was able to be dropped off. However, they have relatively reasonable valet parking.
Paid $ 2.50 for a program and got a betting information pamphlet, but still wasn’t able to put the pieces together. I understand they have helpful people at the booths, but decided I would have to read-​up on it more.
This is a great choice for getting together with friends. Temps were very pleasant in the shade/​box seats. The view of Mt. Rainier — stunning!
The wait staff was swift and attentive. Good food selections. I was able to order an Asian Chicken Salad from my seat. Nice!
The racing was exciting and the horses absolutely beautiful. We even got to see some horse drama (someone DID NOT want to race).
Loved Emerald Downs and will be back.

Great choice for a fun afternoon! On the weekends the races start at 2. We valet parked for $ 10 (totally worth it) the Valet is fast and well organized. It’s $ 7 for admission and programs are a additional $ 2.50. The program is packed with very informative information on the horses bio’s, all the different types of wagers as well as the different betting strategies. We lucked out with both beautiful and clear weather, so we could enjoy that magnificent view of Mt Rainier.
It’s pretty simple to figure out, they let you view the horses before each race, you place your bets, you watch the horses run for a minute or two, you collect your winnings or bemoan your losses, then do it all over again! It’s exciting and fun!
It’s a great layout of the facilities the elevators and bathrooms are easy to find and access, staff was very attentive, betting machines, and betting staffed counters are convenient, its clean and the food is affordable/​good.

Yay for my first time at the horse races! Came for a «girls day» on a Saturday afternoon. Lucked out with the great summer weather too, beautiful view of Mt. Rainer.
Overall it’s a pretty casual place, most people are in shorts/​slacks and t shirts. There were girls in dresses and hats as well (definitely dressing the part next time!).
One of my friends gave me a crash course on horse betting, but the program has a few pages dedicated to teaching you as well. Minimum bets are $ 2 makes it easy to bet, and bet, and bet some more. I got the hang of it pretty quick and I won some and I lost some. The people that take your bets are pretty friendly and helpful as well.
Everywhere you look they sell booze, mostly beer. They have food everywhere, we went upstairs to eat. Food was pricey but good. They also have a full bar upstairs. I recommend making a reservation beforehand so you can get a table that overlooks the track.
Plenty of parking, lots of lots that charge, lots of free lots, and $ 10 valet. Valet is pre-​pay just in case you lose all your money betting.

I’ve attended two weddings here in the past, but I have never actually been here for a race before. I finally did with my Groupon purchase! Did you know ED is owned by the Muckleshoot Indian tribe?
Had a wonderful time. Lots of shaded seating & also sunshine. Beautiful view of Mt. Rainier from the track. Plenty of beer stations (Budweiser, Corona, Coors Light & Manny’s from my memory) and typical «arena» type food — hot dogs, burgers, fish & chips, fountain sodas and soft serve ice cream.
I saw people bringing coolers in filled with beverages, which is allowed. No alcohol though. Also noticed lots of families and kids spending the whole day there. Wow!
Not a bad way to spend a sunny afternoon. Cheap entertainment.