HORSE RACING
Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 to host Ruidoso Downs' summer race schedule
All-American Futurity to run in ABQ for third straight year
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sa国际传媒官网网页入口 is set for one of its busiest horse racing summers in recent memory.
Ruidoso Downs and the Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 have come to an agreement to move the former鈥檚 entire 49-day race schedule to the latter鈥檚 track in southeast sa国际传媒官网网页入口, per Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 president of racing Don Cook.
The agreement comes after Ruidoso Downs announced in January that the popular quarter horse track is not a sustainable public venue "now or for many years to come鈥� due to flood risks. Its signature race, the All-American Futurity, has been moved to the Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 the last two summers following damage to the track and surrounding areas from wildfires and flooding caused by burn scarring.
The specific number of race dates is subject to the New Mexico Racing Commission (NMRC) approval. The commission is expected to do so on March 19, the next scheduled meeting for the regulatory agency.
For now, the agreed-upon race dates remain the . Tim Keithley, the director of marketing for Ruidoso Downs, said Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 will host seven race days in May; 12 days in June; 13 days in July; 14 days in August; and three days in September, including the All-American Futurity on Labor Day.
The Ruidoso races will be run at night, Cook said.
Similar to previous years, Cook said the logistics of hosting two meets back-to-back (79 total race dates) presents the biggest challenge for the Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口. While the track has hosted races moved from Ruidoso over the last two years, Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 has not hosted a months-long race schedule on top of its normal fall meet.
鈥淲e鈥檙e kind of conditioned to do it now,鈥� Cook added. 鈥淎nd after Labor Day, when their meet ends, we鈥檒l jump into ours 鈥� It鈥檚 tough on the staff, but we鈥檙e excited to do it.鈥�
To accommodate both meets, Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 will use stalls loaned from Expo New Mexico while coordinating with the New Mexico State Fair. Expo loaned the track stalls ahead of the Ruidoso Downs races it hosted last summer.
鈥�(It鈥檚) juggling horses around, which we don鈥檛 like to do, but we don鈥檛 have a choice,鈥� Cook said. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l let us use everything they got until they can鈥檛 (and) until they need them back. And by that time we鈥檒l be three months into the meet, hopefully things thin out a bit and we can get those horses out of their stalls and into ours.鈥�
While Downs at sa国际传媒官网网页入口 is still set to host Ruidoso Downs鈥� race meet, the latter鈥檚 New Mexico Bred Sale (Aug. 15) and Super Select Sale (Sept. 4-5) will still be held at Ruidoso Downs鈥� sales pavilion.
Kj Desparado (9) wins the 2021 All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs Race Track. Due to flooding, the race track and state reached an agreement to move the races to Downs of sa国际传媒官网网页入口.
Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at .
