Remainder of Ruidoso Meet to Be Held at Albuquerque

The latest flooding incident at Ruidoso Downs will be the final chapter in the track's tumultuous 2024 season as the remainder of the meet will be transferred to The Downs at Albuquerque. The announcement was made July 21 following an agreement with state racing officials and Albuquerque owner Paul Blanchard.

"We are all working in coordination to do what is best for the New Mexico racing industry," said Ruidoso Downs general manager Rick Baugh.

June wildfires devastated most of the surrounding area, destroying buildings and vegetation. Although the track was spared by the fire, the "burn scars" have allowed rainwater and debris to flow unopposed down the Rio Ruidoso, which runs through the middle of the racetrack and the barn area.

Flash flooding July 20 canceled the final races of the day's card as it caused major damage to the race track and barn area as well as two bridges located near the entrance of the facility. Engineers examined the river's culverts Sunday morning, which Baugh said had started to collapse, and the decision was made to shift the race meet.

"This was all a safety issue because of our culverts that come into the racetrack and leave the racetrack were compromised yesterday due to the flood," Baugh said. "It became a safety issue for our customers, owners, trainers, and equine athletes."

Initial damage from flooding at the end of June severely impacted Ruidoso's Thoroughbred track while the Quarter Horse track was mostly unscathed. Thoroughbred racing returned to Ruidoso July 19 for the first time since June 16. Baugh said it was too early to tell whether the shift in Albuquerque would lead to increased scheduling of Thoroughbred races to make up for missed time.

"We've got to see who makes the move and who doesn't make the move," Baugh said.

The idea of shifting the Ruidoso meet, which was scheduled to end Sept. 2, to Albuquerque was debated at a July 2 emergency meeting of the New Mexico Racing Commission. At the time, commissioners requested that Albuquerque work on a plan to open earlier than their scheduled Aug. 29 date.

COLLINS: NMRC Debates Moving Ruidoso T-Bred Races to Albuquerque

"We have planned for this to happen," said NMRC Executive Director Izzy Trejo on the readiness of Albuquerque to start the meet. "It's just a matter of moving staff and getting housing in Albuquerque on the fly."

Trejo said the NMRC is focused on getting everything ready for racing at Albuquerque—including readying the timing systems, photo finish camera, test barn, and making sure the track surface is safe.

There will be plenty of moving parts to get the racing season set up, but the meet will continue at Albuquerque as if it was being held at Ruidoso. Baugh said they hope to complete all plans by the morning of July 22 with a target on July 26 for racing to resume.

"We're coordinating as we speak to take our stakes schedule, our condition book, and everything else and get it up to The Downs at Albuquerque and keep going," Baugh said. "Mr. Blanchard has said it's your race meet, run it like you want to."

In addition to the racing schedule, a pair of sales usually held at Ruidoso Downs—the Aug. 9-10 New Mexico Bred Yearling Sale and Aug. 31-Sept. 1 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale—will need to be relocated. Baugh said plans call for the sales to be held in Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque.

"We understand the tremendous economic impact that moving the remainder of the racing season will have on the Ruidoso community," Baugh said. "We are left with little choice based on the current condition of our track, bridges and barn area. We have suffered a setback, but are determined to build back Ruidoso Downs and make it a beautiful facility and return racing here in 2025."