Jack Hodge – Owner, breeder, racetrack executive and industry leader
Jack Hodge Jr. (pictured above with wife Theresa and daughter Stephanie Burns) has touched nearly all facets of the horse industry, with his numerous...
Ralph Vacca – “I was so blessed”
Born November 8, 1935, in Seattle to Ralph A. and Rose Vacca, Ralph was the first of two sons for the first generation US-born...
Noosa Beach – Washington champion for four years running
Both bullish and brilliant, Noosa Beach went from a gangly competitor notorious for throwing his riders to the darling of Pacific Northwest. He raced...
Dan J. Agnew – Three generations of breeding and racing stewardship
Dan J. Agnew was inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame in 2007, the sixth state breeder to be so honored. A third...
Joseph “Joe” Gottstein – Sportsman and capitalist
This is the final installment of the nine individuals and three horses that were inducted into the inaugural Washington Racing Hall of Fame in...
Glen Williams – Consummate trainer and trackman
It was September 21, 1992, when Longacres Park conducted its last live race day and upon the program’s conclusion, there awaited the bulldozers, dynamite...
Ron Crockett – The man who kept horse racing in Washington State
Thoroughbred racing is about blue-blooded horses, the will to win and speed . . . not to mention glamor and money. Success is neither...
Peterhof’s Patea – A gray comet
A stakes winner in each of her five seasons of racing, Peterhof’s Patea was the epitome of class and endurance.
She was foaled on May...
George Drumheller – An important pioneer in Washington racing history
Considered the “Father of Thoroughbred Racing” in Washington State, George H. Drumheller (1874-1945) was among the original sponsors of the bill that legalized horse...
Howard Belvoir – A trainer for all seasons
Trainer Howard Belvoir is that rare breed of trainer, a true horseman with decades of hands-on success to back up his legend. With nearly 2,100...
Delicate Vine – Brilliance was her forte
A standout from the time she was foaled, Delicate Vine was not only among the best fillies ever bred in Washington, she nearly was Washington’s...
Ropersandwranglers – The first, and as of now, the only non-Washington-bred to be so...
Ropersandwranglers was a California-bred with a Golden State pedigree, but her prowess at Emerald Downs earned her a spot in the Washington Racing Hall...
