Page 62 - NMHBA Spring 2022

MEETING TIME
REPORT FROM JANUARY 2022
NM RACING COMMISSION MEETING
The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting on Thursday, January 20.
During the meeting, NMRC chairman Sam Bregman commented about how the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented in-person meetings from taking place, but he added
that everyone in the room with him has been vaccinated, and he encouraged everyone in the racing industry to get vaccinated. He
also mentioned that the commission is going through the budget process, and that the commission staff “does an incredible job with the limited budget they have to work with.”
Mr.BregmanaddedthatSunlandPark has had a good start to its 2022 meet, despite being closed for two years.
“They had a lot to do to get back up and running,” he said. “They are doing a great job, considering the staffing shortages.”
Mr. Bregman also discussed HISA -- the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority
-- and how it will affect New Mexico. The Authority is an independent, private, nonprofit corporation that was created with the goal
of being empowered by the U.S. Congress to establish and enforce medication, anti-doping, and racetrack safety rules and programs for the U.S. Thoroughbred racing industry.
“HISA will impose challenges due to the costs associated with it,” Mr. Bregman said. “I have attended several meetings about it in order to understand it and to know what to expect. All of our stakeholders need to be unified and work together on how this will be funded.”
Also, during the meeting, Mr. Trejo said that he met with several people connected with HISA at the Arizona Global Symposium on Racing held in Tucson, December 6-8.
“The safety protocols will go into effect July 1, but the testing aspect of it will not start until sometime in 2023,” he said. “The costsofthisarescary,andI’mafraidthe price might go up even more. The testing agreement hasn’t been signed yet, and we might have to find another testing facility.”
In response from a question asked by commissioner Billy G. Smith of Albuquerque, Mr. Trejo said that all of racing’s stakeholders will have to come together to pay the HISA fees. In response to a question from commissioner David “Hossie” Sanchez of Belen, Mr. Trejo said that Quarter Horse racing will not be affected by HISA, and that testing of Quarter Horses would remain the same and the NMRC would still be in charge of that.
Mr. Smith also asked if HISA would allow
for New Mexico tracks to still offer mixed meets -- that is, meets that feature both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.
“It still would be possible, but there would have to be two sets of staff to handle the different breeds,” Mr. Trejo responded. “HISA will have to accredit every racetrack to make sure that they meet their standards. If a racetrack running Thoroughbreds is not accredited, it will not be able to send its simulcast signal out, and its handle will be (adversely) affected.”
Also at the meeting:
• ThecommissionapprovedHughGallagher to replace Reese Howard on the Sunland Park board of stewards.
• The commission approved Ruidoso Downs Racetrack’s request to amend its stakes schedule. The track changed dates for the Rainbow Futurity and Rainbow Derby to allow for more time between the trials and finals. The date of the Jess Burner Stakes was also changed so as to not conflict with a stakes on the Albuquerque Downs schedule.
• The commission retroactively approved Zia Park’s request for Dr. Mary Cap to serve as the association veterinarian on December 14, 2021.
REPORT FROM FEBRUARY 2022
NM RACING COMMISSION MEETING
The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting on Thursday, February 17.
NMHBA’sexecutive director Mary Barber gave the commission the NMHBA’s final race-a-day report for the 36-day Zia Park meet, which ended December 14. During the Zia Park meet, the track carded 149 New Mexico-bred races, 88 for Thoroughbreds and 61 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 143 state-bred races were contested during the track’s 2020 season, which ran 28
days. Of those 143 state-bred races, 83 were for Thoroughbreds and 60 were for Quarter Horses.
An average of 4.14 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the 2021 Zia Park meet, a decrease from the 5.11 state-bred races per day run during the track’s ’20 season.
Also, during the 2021 Zia Park meet, a total
of 663 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 213 (111 Thoroughbreds and102QuarterHorses)finishedfirst,secondor third. Bonuses totaling $231,719.90 were paid to
the owners of these horses.
Ms. Barber also gave the commission the
NMHBA’s race-a-day report for the first 20
days of the 2022 Sunland Park meet, which opened December 31. During this period, the track carded 83 New Mexico-bred races, 57 for Thoroughbreds and 26 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 88 state-bred races were contested during the first 20 days of the track’s 2019 season. Of those 88 state-bred races, 65 were for Thoroughbreds and 23 were for Quarter Horses.
An average of 4.15 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the first 20 days of the Sunland Park meet, a decrease from the 4.40 state-bred races per day run during the first 20 days of its 2019 season.
During his report to the commission, NMRC chairman Sam Bregman of Albuquerque reportedonhisvisittoSunlandPark,during which he met with Joann Shepard, who has
worked for the commission in licensing for 57 years. Sunland Park named a race in her honor.
“She is a wonderful asset and can tell you about the history of racing in New Mexico,” Mr. Bregman said. “She is a living legend.”
During his report to the commission, NMRC executive director Ismael “Izzy” Trejo said that he visited Sunland Park for the track’s National Thoroughbred Racing Association accreditation, and that it went very well.
“Sunland Park is having short fields, but their handle is strong, and they are going to be OK,” he said.
Mr. Trejo also said that he will be attending the American Quarter Horse Association in Las Vegas, where one of the topics of discussion will be the microchipping of Quarter Horses.
Also at the meeting:
• SunlandParkreceivedratificationofapproval for their purse disbursement, to amend post
60 New Mexico Horse Breeder