Page 49 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Summer 2018

MEETING TIME
the SunRay meet, the public will be able to see the inquiry replays as the stewards are seeing them.
“This is done all over the country,” Mr. Trejo said. “This allows the public to see what the stewards are watching as they are making their decisions for all inquiries and objections.”
ALSO AT THE MEETING:
• The commission approved the following board of stewards for SunRay Park: Ron Walker (presiding), Linda Salinas, and Victor Escobar Jr. The son of longtime jockey Victor Escobar, Victor Escobar Jr. will be working his first full New Mexico meet in the stewards’ booth.
“Victor grew up in the industry, and he’s bilingual,” Mr. Trejo said. “We feel that he has a lot of enthusiasm for the job and has the
courage and ability to do things the right way.” • The commission approved SunRay Park’s jockey/exercise rider insurance. Lonnie Barber
Jr., the track’s director of racing, reported that the premiums for the insurance coverage dropped 3 percent from last year.
Mr. Barber also reported that SunRay Park would be using International Sound Corp. for its video feed. Based in Maryland and Florida, International Sound provides video production and sound systems for several racetracks in the U.S. and Canada, including Sunland Park and Zia Park in New Mexico.
In addition, Mr. Barber said that SunRay Park’s barn area will open on April 6, followed by the track opening for training on April 9. He also said that he received 1,400 stall applications
from horsemen all over the country.
• The commission retroactively approved
Sunland Park’s request to run fewer than nine races on February 17. Three races were run before the final six races on the program were canceled due to track conditions.
• The commission approved the following racing officials for Ruidoso Downs, which opens its 47-day season on May 25: Ryne Valerio, assistant racing secretary, and Jeff Williams, clerk of scales/assistant clocker.
“We have a lot going on in preparation for our summer meet,” said Ruidoso Downs president and general manager Jeff True. “There is a lot of construction going on throughout the property. We’re adding a receiving barn on the backside, as well as simulcast areas in the grandstand.”
REPORT FROM APRIL 2018
NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION MEETING
The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting in the board room at the commis- sion offices in Albuquerque on Thursday, April 19.
New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association execu- tive director Anna Fay Davis gave the commission the race-a-day report for the first 68 days of the Sunland Park meet, which opened in December. During the first 68 days of the meet, the track carded 303 New Mexico-bred races, 243 for Thoroughbreds and 60 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 274 state-bred races were contested during the first 68 days of the 2016-17 Sunland Park meet, 214 for Thoroughbreds and 60 for Quarter Horses.
An average of 4.46 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the first 68 days of the Sunland Park meet, an increase of 4 percent over the 4.28 state-bred races per day during the first 68 days of the 2016-17 Sunland meet.
Also during the first 59 days of the Sunland Park season, a total of 393 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 101 (26 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 74 were Thoroughbreds and 27 were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $75,672.40 were paid to the owners of these horses.
Ms. Davis added that, during the first 68 days of the Sunland Park meet, the track carded 263 New Mexico-bred overnight races.
“There were 2,521 New Mexico-breds that were scheduled to participate in these races,” she reported. “This is an average of 9.59 New Mexico-breds per race.”
Commission Gayla McCulloch of Farmington, chair of the race dates commit-
tee, reported on a race dates committee held on Monday, April 16. She said that all five New Mexico tracks submitted race dates for 2018-19,
and she reported that she would like there to be full agreement on race dates by the May meeting.
During his presentation to the commission, New Mexico Horsemen’s Association (www.newmexico- horsemen.com) executive director Pat Bingham said that the walk-through inspection at SunRay Park, which opened its 33-day meet on April 21, went very well. He also offered congratulations to Sunland Park management on its Sunland Derby Day, held March 25. Sunland Derby Day annually draws the largest on-track crowd and highest handle at the track.
Mr. Bingham also reported that the NMHA wants to engage in contracts with the state’s racetracks prior to agreeing to pay half of the insurance for jockeys and exercise riders.
“A draft has been sent to every track for input,” he said. “These contracts would formal- ize the relationships of both parties.”
At the NMHA state board meeting on April 18, racehorse owner Tom McKenna (Judge Lanier Racing) discussed how to retain owners and grooms. The NMHA will work to establish outreach with the assistance of the racetracks.
Commission executive director Ismael “Izzy” Trejo congratulated Sunland Park management for a successful meet, which ended April 17. He also said that the walk-through inspection at SunRay Park went well.
“But horses are needed for the meet,” Mr. Trejo added. “Also, we’re keeping an eye on the status on legalized sports wagering.”
Mr. Trejo also addressed the status of a sixth racino license.
“The new license application will be released on May 7,” he added. “Deadlines will be posted, and Indian tribes will be allowed to have input.
If there is a (previous) application that has been submitted, it will have to be updated.”
Warren Frost, a Tucumcari attorney head- ing a group wishing to build a racino in Quay County, said that his community is still inter- ested in the sixth racino license.
ALSO AT THE MEETING:
• The commission approved the Albuquerque Downs/New Mexico State Fair post times and wagering format for its meet, which opens June 29. The commission also approved The Downs jockey/ exercise rider insurance premium of $238,212.
• The commission approved Ruidoso
Downs’ jockey/exercise rider insurance premium of $239,800. The commission also approved Ruidoso Downs’ account-wagering agreement with SportTech, an online gambling and entertainment company headquartered in the United Kingdom.
“Customers will have several options to establish an account for the day,” said Ruidoso Downs’s presi- dent and general manager Jeff True. “Customers can use a wireless device to make their wagers, and the wagers will have to be placed within the grandstand.”
Mr. True reported that 300-yard training races for 2-year-olds will take place at Ruidoso Downs May 7, 8, and 9. The commission walk-through inspection will take place on May 10.
• The commission approved Sunland Park’s retroactive request to cancel show wagering on the March 25 Sunland Park Oaks, which drew a field of five 3-year-old fillies. In addition, the commission approved Sunland Park’s request to add six races to its current season.
Additionally, the commission retroactively approved Sunland Park’s request to cancel live racing on April 13. Purses for the canceled races will be paid to the owners of the horses entered that day.
SUMMER 2018 47