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MEETING TIME
REPORT FROM OCTOBER 2022
The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting in the board room at the commission offices in Albuquerque on Thursday, October 20.
New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association executive director Mary Barber gave the commission the NMHBA’s race-a-day report for the 38-day Downs at Albuquerque/New Mexico State Fair meet, which ended October 1. During the Albuquerque/State Fair meet, the track carded 139 New Mexico-bred races, 69 for Thoroughbreds and 70 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 101 state-bred races were contested during the track’s 2021 season, which ran 26 days. Of those 101 state-bred races, 57 were for Thoroughbreds and 44 were for Quarter Horses.
An average of 3.66 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the 2022 Albuquerque/New Mexico State Fair meet, a decrease of 6 percent from the 3.89 state- bred races per day during the track’s
2021 season.
Ms. Barber also reported that, during the first 35 days of the 2022 Albuquerque/State Fair meet, a total of 633 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 177 (86 Thoroughbreds and 91 Quarter Horses) finished first, second, or third.
Bonuses totaling $210,243.40 were paid to the owners of these horses.
In addition, 503 horses raced in the 60 overnight New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred races for an average of 8.39 horses per race, and 452 horses raced in the 49 overnight state-bred Quarter Horse races for an average of 9.23 horses per race.
During his report to the commission, NMRC executive director Ismael “Izzy”Trejo welcomed new staff members Hector Lopez (purchasing agent), Lynette Garcia (racing clerk), and a new steward at Zia Park. Mr. Trejo also covered some of the new fees connected to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, saying that it will cost New Mexico $1.7 million in fees. The average starter fee will be approximately $200-270 per start. Currently, there is a $20 starter fee in place at Zia Park for the safety portion of HISA, but that fee will increase when the testing portion starts on January 1, 2023.
ALSO AT THE MEETING:
• NMRC chief financial officer Amber Trujillo received approval of the final FY24 budget at $3,813,400.
• Mr. Trejo received approval to contact HISA to request New Mexico to be exempt from the banning of Furosemide (Lasix) for Thoroughbred overnight races. All Thoroughbred stakes must be run Lasix-free.
• Lonnie Barber introduced Steve Fedunak as the new director of racing at SunRay Park. A product of the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program, Mr. Fedunak has been working at SunRay Park as mutuel manager and simulcast manager for the past nine years, and he worked at Sunland Park for seven years before that.
• NMRC chairman Sam Bregman reported that, due to a District Court ruling, the commission was required by November 2 to take action on Tucumcari- based Coronado Partners request for a sixth racing license. Mr. Bregman said
he reviewed Coronado Partners request (submitted in 2018) and said that at this time New Mexico’s racing industry is not able to support a sixth racetrack. “We are not filling races now,” Mr. Bregman said. “The health of the industry was not in a good place back in 2018, and it’s in even worse shape now.” The commission voted 4-0 to deny Coronado Partners’ application.
DID YOU KNOW?
All our forms are accessible online. You can fill out and even pay for the forms you need right on our website. Go to nmhorsebreeders.com, click on All Forms under Quick Links on the left side of the home page. The Online Forms will populate in a new window.
You can also find a downloadable PDF version as well.
82 New Mexico Horse Breeder