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to providing a great venue for everybody at Ruidoso Downs.”
The management team will continue with Ethan Linder as General Manager and Rick Baugh as Chief Operating Officer. Linder has years of experience in the resort and entertainment industries as well as in racetrack marketing and management. He served as Director of Marketing at Sunland Park from 2014-2021. His vision for Ruidoso Downs is of a multi-faceted year-round entertainment destination. Baugh served as general manager of Ruidoso Downs from 1996-2007, then managed Zia Park through 2012 before moving to Sunland Park in 2013. Prior to this, he spent 11 years at Phillips Ranch. “The caliber of horses, the caliber of owners and trainers who come to Ruidoso – you can’t beat it,” Baugh stated.
Trotter is a past-president of the American Quarter Horse Association, and was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame, the Tri-State Western Heritage Hall of Fame, the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame, the Texas Horse
Racing Hall of Fame, and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Trotter ranks among the leading AQHA owners and breeders by money earned and has owned many top race horses, including World Champion Bodacious Eagle, Champion Hez Our Secret and Champion One Sweet Racy, and is co-owner with Burnett Ranches of Champion One Famous Eagle and Champion Miss Racy Jess. His wife Jana was part of the group of women known as “The Girls,” who campaigned Devons Signature to a third place
finish the 2004 All American Futurity. Jana is now involved in racing Thoroughbreds.
“Horses have been an important part of my life,” Trotter said. “Jana and I have enjoyed racing, buying, and selling horses here for over 20 years. Ruidoso Downs is important to us.
I am excited to be the sole owner, and I look forward to maintaining Ruidoso Downs and the horse sales as the pinnacle of horse racing. Nominations for 2023 futurities and derbies are strong, and we anticipate the yearling sales to continue as strong as ever.”
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© Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse © Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse © Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse