Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Oct. 22, 2026

A good Thursday morning to you all! Last column from here on the West Coast as I’m getting ready to head back to Kentucky for the Breeders’ Cup and then finally back to Florida. Next week’s columns will be from Kentucky and hoping to bring some interesting stuff from on-site for the big week. 

Last night I went to the Seattle Kraken hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings (Kraken won 4-3!) and my good friend from high school asked me how things were in horse racing. I gave him the general lay of the land of things and his next question is the same one that’s come up with at least four other friends or family members since I’ve been home: “What’s going to happen with Emerald Downs?” 

It was about two years ago that there was an article about Emerald Downs’ future and it painted a pretty bleak picture. Much of it focused on the increased costs of HISA and of course some focused on the shortage of horses across the game, but particularly out here on the left coast. Since that article there’s been a lot of uncertainty about the future of the track. 

I probably write about Emerald Downs more than I do most tracks in these columns because it’s home and I love it. I grew up going to the races there, had my first job in racing there, and practiced calling my first races there. It’s a great track that has always had an amazing community of racing fans and loyal patrons. But it’s been on hard times trying to buck the trend of closing tracks out west. Northern California is gone, along with it the Cal fairs. Portland Meadows is gone. Yakima and Playfair are long gone. Hastings Race Course up in Vancouver, gone. Emerald is still fighting and I hope they’re able to overcome the obstacles they have and able to subsist. I know one thing, there’s a lot of people trying to make it happen here locally. 

This trip home has been strange because it’s been a big eye opener about just how much changes with time. I always refer to the Seattle area as “home,” but it felt less like home for this visit than anytime I can remember. Our family has lost several members in the last few years, many of my favorite restaurants and places are no longer here. And things just change. Emerald still being here is one of the real reminders of home, but even my visits up there to the simulcast area on this trip were different. Many of the regulars weren’t there anymore, although some were and that was great. But it’s just different. Which, I suppose, is how life goes. 

I’ve always said I want to retire back here in the Pacific Northwest and I hope that’s with a great racetrack still here. The older I get the more I realize that our plans in life don’t always work out exactly as we saw them because of the inevitable change. I’m pretty sure the Mariners will still be here in 20 years and I truly hope that Emerald Downs is as well. 

For now, back to the eastern part of the United States and feeling gratitude for a good trip home to spend time with my mom and family and friends out here. Have a good weekend everyone!