Emerald Downs Announces Washington Racing Hall of Fame Class, Induction Aug. 15

Emerald Downs announced its 2026 Washington Racing Hall of Fame class on March 4, naming publicist Mark Kaufman, 2009 Washington Horse of the Year Reba Is Tops, and legendary claiming horse Maxwell G as inductees, while Doug Moore will receive the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award; the induction ceremony is set for Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, the eve of the 91st Longacres Mile, which carries a $125,000 purse. The 2026 ceremony marks the 21st annual Washington Racing Hall of Fame event at Emerald Downs.

Emerald Downs highlighted Kaufman’s decades-long imprint on Pacific Northwest racing. As the announcement put it, “As the esteemed Director of Publicity at Longacres from 1977-1990, Mark Kaufman's impact on racing was such that he is honored annually with two major awards and events—WTBOA presents its Mark Kaufman Media Award for outstanding coverage while the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program holds a Mark Kaufman Workshop at its Symposium on Racing and Gaming. In addition, Emerald Downs' press area is named in Kaufman's honor.” Kaufman also served as President of the Turf Publicists of America from 1984-1987 and assisted with media at the Breeders' Cup and Kentucky Derby; he is a Seattle native who attended Garfield High School and Washington State University.

Reba Is Tops is listed in the announcement as the 2009 Washington Horse of the Year. The release provides that specific honor as the horse’s identifying credential; no additional starts, wins, stakes or earnings were included in the announcement. Reba Is Tops’ induction continues the Hall’s practice of celebrating state champions alongside industry contributors.

Maxwell G is described in the Emerald Downs release as a “legendary claiming horse” and is included among the three inductees. The announcement does not supply Maxwell G’s race record, connections, or career earnings, leaving those specifics to be documented in follow-up reporting on the inductee’s career.

Doug Moore’s Lifetime Achievement Award nomination was framed around a long, varied career in Washington racing. The announcement described Moore in full: “A native of Republic, Wash., Doug Moore rode over 1400 winners including a stakes victory aboard fabled Washington-bred Captain Condo before hanging up his tack in 1989 for a career in racetrack management. Moore’s career spans five decades featuring a long stint for the Washington Horse Racing Commission including five years (2005-2009) as presiding steward at Emerald Downs. He later accepted the Deputy Secretary position with the WHRC and became Executive Secretary in 2013, a position he filled until 2023 when named Commissioner. Moore is a benevolent force for Thoroughbred racing in his home state, spending countless hours with legislators helping secure the future of racing.”

The announcement also placed Moore on the Hall’s roll of Lifetime Achievement recipients, listing the awardees and years: Joe Gottstein (2003), Ron Crockett (2004), Pete Pedersen (2008), James Seabeck (2010), Karen & Mickey Taylor (2011), Jack Hodge (2012), Ralph Vacca (2013), Robert Geller (2015), Dr. Mark Dedomenico (2017), Dr. George Todaro (2018), Aaron T. Van De Vanter (2019), Joe Withee (2021), Junior Coffey (2024), and Doug Moore (2026).

Ceremony logistics in the Emerald Downs announcement place the induction on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, the night before the 91st renewal of the Longacres Mile. Emerald Downs will stage its 21st annual Washington Racing Hall of Fame ceremony that evening ahead of the $125,000 Longacres Mile card the following day, confirming the track’s continued role in spotlighting Washington racing history and leaders.