Page 50 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Summer 2018

MEETING TIME
REPORT FROM MAY 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, May 31.
New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association exec- utive director Anna Fay Davis gave the commis- sion the race-a-day report for the 71-day Sunland Park meet, which ended April 17. During the Sunland Park meet, the track carded 321 New Mexico-bred races, 258 for Thoroughbreds
and 63 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 309 state-bred races were contested during the 72-day 2016-17 Sunland Park meet, 242 for Thoroughbreds and 67 for Quarter Horses.
An average of 4.52 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the 2017-18 Sunland Park meet, an increase of 5.3 percent over the 4.29 state-bred races per day during the 2016- 17 Sunland meet.
Also during the 71-day Sunland Park season, a total of 519 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 135 (26 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 100 were Thoroughbreds and 35 were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $101,126.60 were paid to the owners of these horses.
Ms. Davis added that, during the Sunland Park meet, the track carded 280 New Mexico- bred overnight races.
“There were 2,696 New Mexico-breds that were scheduled to participate in these races,” she reported. “This is an average of 9.63 New Mexico-breds per race.”
Ms. Davis also gave the commission the race-a- day report for the first seven days of the SunRay Park meet, which opened April 21. During this period, the track carded 26 New Mexico-bred races, 13
for Thoroughbreds and 13 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, SunRay carded 18 state-bred races -- 10 for Thoroughbreds and eight for Quarter Horses -- during the first eight days of its 2017 season.
An average of 3.71 New Mexico-bred races per day were contested during the first seven days of the 2018 SunRay Park meet, an increase of 65 per- cent over the 2.25 state-bred races per day during the first eight days of the track’s 2017 season.
Also, during the first 11 days of the SunRay meet, a total of 144 New Mexico-breds com- peted in open overnight races, of which 53
(37 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 29 were Thoroughbreds and 24 were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $29,966.32 were paid to the owners of these horses.
Ms. Davis added that, during the first seven days of the SunRay Park meet, the track carded 21 New Mexico-bred overnight races.
“There were 180 New Mexico-breds that were scheduled to participate in these races,”
48 New Mexico Horse Breeder
she reported. “This is an average of 8.57 New Mexico-breds per race.”
Ms. Davis also expressed regret that SunRay Park was forced to cancel its 6 1/2-furlong, $40,000 Dine Stakes (R) for New Mexico-bred 3-year-olds, which was scheduled to be run on Monday, June 4.
“Only three horses were nominated,” she said. “We’re planning to send out a survey to our member- ship to see if there’s anything more we can do to increase participation in these stakes races.”
Commissioner Kenneth Corraza of Albuquerque asked Ms. Davis to provide to the commission a report on the number of New Mexico-based mares bred and foals born in 2018.
“We’ve talked about the horse shortage at SunRay Park this year, and I’d like to know where we’re headed in the future,” Mr. Corraza added.
During his presentation to the NMRC, Jockeys’ Guild regional manager John Beech said he’d received several calls from jockeys riding at SunRay Park, and he reported that the riders are happy with the condition of the track.
Mr. Beech added that he was at Ruidoso Downs during that track’s opening weekend, May 25-28.
“There was great racing, and I was very pleased to see the condition of the jockeys’ room,” he said. “They’ve added a hot tub and Jacuzzi, which the riders can use to help them reduce.”
During his presentation to the commission, New Mexico Horsemen’s Association (www. newmexicohorsemen.com) executive director Pat Bingham congratulated Ruidoso Downs management on the track’s successful opening weekend. He also congratulated Albuquerque Downs on landing the AQHA Bank of America Challenge Championships in 2019.
“The Challenge Championships will bring great horses to our state, but they also will bring in a lot of people,” Mr. Bingham said. “It will be a great boost to Albuquerque and the state of New Mexico.”
Mr. Bingham also discussed the recently completed economic impact study commis- sioned by the NMHA.
“This study showed that horse racing isn’t only a viable agriculture industry, it is also viable as an entertainment industry,” he said. “If you figure that there are 2,000 horses in training at one time at $60 a day in training fees, that’s an economic impact of $120,000 a day.”
Commission executive director Ismael “Izzy” Trejo discussed the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow individual states to legalize sports wagering.
“I think we in horse racing need to cooperate
rather than be in competition with groups that might want to pursue legalized sports betting in New Mexico,” he added. “We’re currently work- ing with groups to get sports-betting legislation passed in our state.”
Mr. Trejo also reported that the commission announced that it began accepting applications for New Mexico’s sixth racino license on May 7.
“There is a good amount of interest, but as of now we haven’t received any formal applica- tions,” he said. “The deadline for applications is the end of business on July 30.”
ALSO AT THE MEETING:
• The commission approved Ruidoso Downs’ board of stewards for its 2018 meet, which opened May 25. The board consists of Violet Smith (presiding), Jill Cathey, and Ruben Rivera.
• The commission approved Albuquerque Downs’ board of stewards for its 2018 meet, which opens June 29. The board consists of Ron Walker (presiding). Linda Salinas and Victor Escobar Jr. The commission also approved the following racing officials for Albuquerque Downs: Mike Larue (pad- dock judge/horse identifier), Louie Figueroa (clerk of scales), and Arnulfo Araiza (assistant clerk of scales).
• The commission approved Industrial Laboratories (www.industriallabs.net) as its official testing lab. Industrial Laboratories is located in Denver, Colorado, and it began in 1945 as a food- testing laboratory for a baking products company in Denver. In 1953, it opened its drug testing depart- ment to service the Colorado Division of Racing. Currently, Industrial Laboratories veterinary toxicol- ogy and drug testing services support the pari-mutuel dog and horse racing industries, as well as livestock shows, horse puller events, and show horse events.
• The commission approved the fol-
lowing dates and locations for its last five
regular monthly meetings: Thursday, July 19 (Albuquerque); Thursday, August 23 (Ruidoso Downs); Thursday, September 13 (Albuquerque); Thursday, October 18 (Zia Park in Hobbs); and Thursday, November 15 (Albuquerque).
• The commission approved SunRay Park’s request to offer 10 live races a day on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning May 18 and running through the end of its meet on June 17. In addi- tion, the commission approved the track’s request to add purse money to its June 17, 6 1/2-furlong Dr. O.G. Fischer Memorial Handicap for fillies and mares, and its June 17, 1 1/8-mile San Juan County Commissioners Handicap for 3-year- olds and older. The Fischer Memorial will now be worth $45,000-guaranteed, and the San Juan County Commissioners Handicap will now offer a purse of $70,000-guaranteed.