Seattle is one of the most passionate sporting cities in the United States, with the area’s NHL and soccer teams both typically enjoying maximum capacities in their home matches.  

However, unfortunately for fans of horse racing, it isn’t a city that offers a wealth of options when attempting to watch the sport in-person. Nonetheless, Washington has sports betting legalized, so you can bet on Preakness Stakes online with no issues. 

Only one horse racing course can be located in Washington, meaning that passionate fans of the sport are typically forced to travel to watch some of the biggest stars in racing. But, what are some of the most accessible racecourses surrounding the Seattle area? 

Emerald Downs 

The only horse racing course located in the state of Washington can be found in Seattle, with Emerald Downs having hosted action on track since it opened in June 1996. The course was opened to replace Longacres, which was closed after 60 years of racing in September 1992. A period of uncertainty faced the sport in the region, before Emerald Downs finally opened its doors four years later.  

Nowadays, the track is owned by Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and improvements have been made to the course regularly throughout modern history. It is one of the most scenic locations to watch racing in the U.S., with the one mile oval track cast in the shadow of Mount Rainier.  

Dirt racing is prominent at the location, but there is no turf track to encourage further runners to travel to Washington. The most famous race on the schedule comes in the form of the Longacres Mile Stakes, which was first contested in 1935. It has been run at Emerald Downs since 1996.  

One of the most famous moments in the history of the race came in 2008, as Jennifer Whitaker became the first female rider to win the race. Famous winners of the race include Awesome Gem, Five Star General, and Law Abidin Citizen.  

Del Mar 

With no racing venues in the states of Oregon or Idaho, fans in the Seattle region need to venture to as far as California to find some of the world’s best courses. A scenic location that should be on the bucket list for all fans of the sport comes in the form of this year’s Breeders’ Cup hosts- Del Mar.  

The racetrack has been open since July 1937, and it hosts both dirt and turf racing throughout the year. It was opened in partnership by Bing Crosby, Pat O’Brien, and Charles Howard following the success achieved by Santa Anita. Del Mar’s meet runs from between July and September, with a second meet having been run in November since 2014.  

Some of the most prestigious events on the U.S. schedule are run at Del Mar, including Grade One affairs such as the Bing Crosby Stakes, Del Mar Oaks, and the Pacific Classic.  

The latter is one of the most important preps before the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with previous victors including Beholder, California Chome, and Flightline.  

Hastings Racecourse 

One of the nearest major racecourses to Seattle is actually located outside of the U.S., as Hastings Racecourse is situated across the border in Vancouver, Canada. This racecourse has been open to the public since 1889 when it was previously used as an Exhibition Park Race Track.  

The track also has deep roots to the local area, as it was used as a house and process center for Japanese Canadians following the declaration of war on Imperial Japan in 1942. The two most important races on the schedule are staged in September, as the British Columbia Oaks, and British Columbia Derby are run.  

Hastings Racecourse made international headlines back in 2011, as Mexican-born Mario Gutierrez, who had begun riding at the track landed success in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness aboard I’ll Have Another.  

Century Mile Racetrack and Casino 

Also across the Canadian border, Seattle fans can travel to Century Mile Racetrack and Casino. It could be argued that this is the easiest racecourse for locals to visit, as it is located within touching distance of Edmonton International Airport.  

The track can be found in Alberta, and it is one of the newest tracks in North America, having hosted competitive racing for the first time in April 2019. It has quickly become one of the highest regarded tracks in Canada, and it is the only ‘A-Level’ recognised one-mile track in western Canada.  

Due to that, the course plays host to one of the most important races on the Canadian schedule. The Canadian Derby has been hosted by Century Mile since 2019, replacing its previous home at Northlands Park. The race is the second jewel in the Western Canadian Triple Crown, and there have been some famous winners throughout history.  

Among the most notable winners was A Fleet’s Dancer, who would also go on to land success in the Dominion Cup Handicap and Durham Cup handicap before being awarded in the Canadian Champion Older Male Horse award.