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...
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...
Herman Sarkowsky – Seattle sports and business leader
At the half-mile pole, not one person in attendance at Emerald Downs, including his owner/breeder Herman Sarkowsky, would have entertained even the faintest fantasy...
Rings a Chime – Quality in a plain brown wrapper
On looks alone, Rings a Chime was unassuming: a dynamite runner hidden in a plain dark bay wrapper. In reality, she not only cultivated...
Jim Seabeck – A large scale thinker and doer
Some men and women lead small lives. Others start small and accomplish much, and a few accomplish little and make much of it. But...
Herb Armstrong – From the Valley to the highest peaks
Herb Armstrong
Valley of Champions
Nursery of Champions
Valley Farm
Lord’s Valley
Harrington
Lincoln County
Washington
... a telling address for Herb Armstrong, Washington’s leading breeder through much of the decade that...
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...
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...
Travel Orb – A shining beacon for Washington
Travel Orb’s remarkable feat of winning three stakes in three weeks is something that would astound modern race fans. The fact that the Washington-bred...
Pete Pedersen – Modesty, honesty, integrity and intelligence, trademarks of a well-spent life
The dire ramifications of opening a racetrack had been debated amongst Seattle denizens for the entire 28 days it took to build Longacres, but...
The Konecnys of Czech-Mate Farm – Breeders of eight state champions
The Konecny family’s interest in Thoroughbred racing began in the late 1970s when Doris Konecny got involved with five fun-loving ladies – several of...
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...
