Page 34 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Summer 2018

ALBUQUERQUE DOWNS TO HOST 2019 BANK OF AMERICA CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
by Michael Cusortelli
Albuquerque Downs Racetrack has been tabbed by the American Quarter Horse Association to host the 2019 Bank of America Challenge Championships.
On October 26, 2019,
Albuquerque Downs
will host several of the most prestigious graded stakes in Quarter Horse racing, topped by the Grade 1, 440-yard Bank of America Challenge Championship, which has annually offered its winner a berth
in the 440-yard, $750,000 Champion
of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos, the sport’s richest race for aged runners.
In addition to top-flight Quarter Horse racing, the Challenge Championships bring owners and trainers from all over the world for AQHA Racing Committee and Racing Council meetings, which are open to the public. There is also an owner’s recognition brunch acknowledging the connections of the qualifiers to the Challenge Championships from regional races held throughout North America and South America.
“People from all over
the world will be coming
to Albuquerque for the AQHA racing meetings and Challenge Championships,” said Albuquerque Downs president of racing Don Cook. “This will be a one-day racing
event, and it will an opportunity for us
to showcase our racetrack, our racing product, and our city to these visitors. We plan to put on a first-class show for them.”
Since the Challenge Championships began in 1993, the program has distributed more than $65 million to breeders and owners of racing American Quarter Horses. The program was established in the early ’90s with four goals:
• To develop a regional, national, and
international program for racing American Quarter Horses with an emphasis on older horses.
• To support and foster American Quarter Horse racing on a regional basis.
• To host an American Quarter Horse championship race day of international importance and impact.
• To secure corporation partnerships to help fund the program.
Thanks to the continued participation
of horsemen, including breeders, the Bank of America Racing Challenge has met these goals over the past 25 years. Due to the support of the program’s corporate partners, more than half of the purses and awards are paid for by sources other than horsemen.
AQHA corporate partners that support the Racing Challenge contribute more than $715,000 annually. Bank of America, the lead sponsor, contributes more than 40 percent of its AQHA sponsorship dollars to the Racing Challenge program.
All American Quarter Horses registered with the AQHA and enrolled in the Racing Challenge program are eligible to participate in the program.
This will be the first Challenge Championships held in New Mexico since 1993, when the inaugural event was held at Sunland Park Racetrack. This year’s Challenge Championships will be held on November 17 at Los Alamitos Racecourse near Los Angeles.
32 New Mexico Horse Breeder