Page 86 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

MEETING TIME
RepoRt fRom June 2018 new mexico Racing commission meeting
The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting in the board room at the commission offices in Albuquerque on Thursday, June 21.
New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association president Ralph Vincent reported that Anna Fay Davis, the NMHBA’s longtime executive direc- tor, would be retiring effective at the end of the day on Friday, June 22. Also, the commissioners were given the race-a-day reports for the 33-day SunRay Park meet, which ended June 17. During the SunRay Park meet, the track carded 98 New Mexico-bred races, 53 for Thoroughbreds and 45 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 99 state-bred races were contested during the track’s 36-day meet in 2017, 54 for Thoroughbreds and 45 for Quarter Horses.
An average of 2.97 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the 2018 SunRay Park meet, an increase of 8 percent over the 2.75 state-bred races per day run during the 2017 SunRay meet.
Also during the 33-day SunRay Park season, a total of 468 New Mexico-breds com- peted in open overnight races, of which 176 (38 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 88 were Thoroughbreds and 88 were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $102,551.10 were paid to the owners of these horses.
Also, the commission was given the race-a-day report for the first 22 days of the Ruidoso Downs meet, which opened on May 25. During this period, the track carded 74 New Mexico-bred races, 43 for Thoroughbreds and 31 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, Ruidoso carded 92 state-bred races -- 53 for Thoroughbreds and 39 for Quarter Horses -- during the first 24 days of its 2017 season.
An average of 3.36 New Mexico-bred races per day were contested during the first 22 days of the 2018 Ruidoso Downs meet, a decrease of 12 percent from the 3.83 state-bred races per day during the first 24 days of the track’s 2017 season.
Also, during the first 10 days of the Ruidoso meet, a total of 58 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 20 (34 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 14 were Thoroughbreds and six were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $8,616.44 were paid to the owners of these horses.
Finally, the commission was given the race-a-day report for the first seven days of the Albuquerque Downs meet, which opened June
29. During this period, the track carded 23 New Mexico-bred races, 19 for Thoroughbreds and four for Quarter Horses. By comparison, Albuquerque Downs carded 24 state-bred races -- 16 for
Thoroughbreds and eight for Quarter Horses -- during the first six days of its 2017 season.
An average of 3.29 New Mexico-bred races per day were contested during the first seven days of the 2018 Albuquerque Downs meet, a decrease of 18 percent from the 4 state-bred races per day during the first six days of the track’s 2017 season.
Mr. Vincent also reported that the NMHBA membership numbers have main- tained a steady level.
“I just think people are breeding fewer mares,” he added. “Our foal numbers were down for a period, and then they leveled off. It looks like they are trending back upwardly.
“We do have an issue in that we have some large farms that we depend on, and it’s never a good idea to ever put all of our eggs in one basket,” Mr. Vincent continued. “We might not be seeing as many (New Mexico-bred) foals being born as we’d like, but we have been attracting a lot of new members.”
Mr. Vincent said that all of the parties plan- ning to apply for New Mexico’s sixth racino license were invited to visit the NMHBA board of trustees. As of June 21, two of the parties accepted the invitation.
“We wanted to let them know the things that were important to our association,” Mr. Vincent said.”
During his presentation to the NMRC, Jockeys’ Guild (www.jockeysguild.com) regional manager John Beech thanked SunRay Park and its director of racing, Lonnie Barber, for their dedication to providing a safe racing surface during its meet.
Mr. Beech also complimented Albuquerque Downs management for its new starting gate and upgraded jockeys’ room. In addition, he reported that he’d received no complaints from any jockeys at Ruidoso Downs, which opened its 47-day season on May 25, and he thanked Ruidoso Downs management for recognizing the accomplishments of jockey Mike Smith,
a New Mexico native and rider of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, with a “Mike Smith Triple Crown Victory Celebration” on July 8.
During his presentation to the commission, New Mexico Horsemen’s Association (www. newmexicohorsemen.com) executive director Pat Bingham began by honoring Anna Fay Davis’ service to the New Mexico racing industry.
“We’re losing one of our great gems, someone with a lot of knowledge about our industry,” Mr. Bingham said. “She will be difficult to replace.”
Mr. Bingham also reported that the safety inspection walk-through at Albuquerque Downs was successful. Then, the discussion
turned to SunRay Park’s proposal to conduct a 17-day meet in 2018, down from 33 this year.
“This wouldn’t be beneficial to the state’s racing industry,” said NMHA board member and trainer Dick “Flaco” Cappellucci. “If we were to run up there for 24 days -- three days
a week for eight weeks -- we could justify ship- ping up there to race to our owners, and we could still increase purses by about 30 percent.
“The length of time of the meet is more important than the days,” he added.
Horse owner John Buffington of the Farmington area said that a 17-day meet would be harmful to the local economy.
“Many people have told me that they might not come back to race at SunRay Park,” he added. “Three days a week for a longer period of time would be a good compromise.”
Mr. Bingham said that the NMHA has been looking at the possibility of implementing ship- ping incentives to encourage people to ship to SunRay Park and stay there during the meet. The funds would be diverted from the purse account.
“(Shipping incentives) have been imple- mented in other jurisdictions where there is competition for horses,” he added.
Commission executive director Ismael “Izzy” Trejo reported that the first set of samples to be shipped to Industrial Laboratories in Denver, Colorado, the NMRC’s new testing lab, would come from races from June 22 at Ruidoso Downs.
Mr. Trejo also reported on the safety inspec- tion walk-through at Albuquerque Downs.
“They have a new racing office and new stewards’ office on the backside,” he said. “We’re looking forward to a great meet.”
Also At the meeting:
• The commission approved the appoint- ment of Dr. Frank Anderson to serve
as the state veterinarian at the 55-day Albuquerque Downs meet, which runs June 29-September 23.
• The commission approved Ruidoso Downs’ request for 2019 race dates. The track will run a 54-day meet, consisting mostly of three-
day weeks, from May 10-September 2. Also, Ruidoso Downs president and general manager Jeff True reported on “Mike Smith Triple Crown Victory Celebration Day,” which will be held at the track on July 8.
“We’re going to be selling posters for
$10 each, with all the proceeds going to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys’ Fund,” Mr. True said. “For one hour, Mike Smith will autograph the posters for $25.
84 New Mexico Horse Breeder