Page 100 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Spring 2018

MEETING TIME
REPORT FROM NOVEMBER 2017
NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION MEETING
The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting at its headquarters in Albuquerque on Thursday, November 16.
New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association executive director Anna Fay Davis gave the commission the race-a-day report for the first 36 days of the Zia Park meet, which opened in Hobbs on September 9. During this period, the track carded 148 New Mexico-bred races, 101 for Thoroughbreds and 47 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 147 state-bred races were con- tested during the first 36 days of the Zia Park 2016 meet, 103 for Thoroughbreds and 44 for Quarter Horses.
An average of 4.11 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the first 36 days of the Zia Park meet, a slight increase over the 4.08 state-bred races per day during the first 36 days of the track’s 2016 season.
Also during the first 22 days of the Zia
Park meet, a total of 145 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 50 (34 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 18 were Thoroughbreds and 32 were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $46,832 were paid to the owners of these horses.
Ms. Davis added that, during the first 36 days of the Zia Park meet, the track carded 126 New Mexico-bred overnight races.
“There were 1,140 New Mexico-breds that were scheduled to participate in these races,” she reported. “This is an average of 9.05 New Mexico-breds per race.”
During his presentation to the commission, New Mexico Horsemen’s Association (www. newmexicohorsemen.com) executive direc-
tor Pat Bingham congratulated Zia Park and its director of racing/racing secretary Matt Crawford, for an excellent start to the track’s 56-day season.
Mr. Bingham also told the commission that there might be rate hikes for workers’ compen- sation insurance for 2018.
“We are looking to help lower those costs and will propose something to the commission to take money out of purses for this purpose,” Mr. Bingham said.
Mr. Bingham also said that the economic impact study commissioned by the NMHA and conducted by the Economics Dept. at the University of New Mexico hasn’t yet been completed.
“We will share the results with the commis- sion when the study is completed,” he added.
Commission executive director Ismael “Izzy” Trejo reported that he made a presenta- tion regarding New Mexico’s experience with hair testing to the American Quarter Horse Association’s Racing Council at Altoona, Iowa, in October. He added that he will also be traveling to Tucson in December to partici- pate on a panel at the University of Arizona’s Symposium on Racing and Gaming.
Also At the meeting:
• The commission approved the following board of stewards to serve during the 2017-18 Sunland Park meet, which opens December 15: Violet Smith, Jill Cathey, and Ruben Rivera.
• The commission approved SunRay Park’s stakes schedule and stall applications, as well as its nomination forms for the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity (RG3) and Four Corners Futurity.
• The commission approved Sunland Park’s 2017-18 racing officials. Dustin Dix, Sunland Park’s director of racing operations, also asked the commission to ratify a change to the track’s nomination blanks and condition book. The track asked for a $100 fee for hair-testing of all trial entries, with any additional monies to go into the equine testing fund. Mr. Dix said that Sunland Park would notify horsemen on its web- site and on its overnight sheets of the $100 fee.
• During the public comment session, NMHA president Susan Vescovo said that it would be a good idea to randomly test horses on stewards’ lists. Also, NMRC commis- sioner Ken Corraza said that the state Board of Pharmacy has upgraded Clenbuterol to a Class 3 controlled substance.
• The next New Mexico Racing Commission monthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 18, at the VIP Simulcast Room at Albuquerque Downs, beginning at 9:30 a.m. For more information, visit the com- mission’s website at http://nmrc.state.nm.us, or call (505) 222-0700.
REPORT FROM JANUARY 2018
NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION MEETING
The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting at the VIP Simulcast Room at Albuquerque Downs on Thursday, January 18.
New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association executive director Anna Fay Davis gave the com- mission the race-a-day report for the 56-day Zia Park meet, which ended December 12. During the Zia Park meet, the track carded 227 New Mexico-bred races, 158 for Thoroughbreds and 69 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, 220 state-bred races were contested during the 2016 Zia Park meet, 159 for Thoroughbreds and 61 for Quarter Horses.
An average of 4.05 New Mexico-bred races per day were run during the 2017 Zia Park meet, an increase of 3 percent over the 3.93 state-bred
races per day during the 2016 Zia Park meet. Also during the 56-day Zia Park season, a
total of 491 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 148 (30 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total,
61 were Thoroughbreds and 87 were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $126,195.50 were paid to the owners of these horses.
Ms. Davis added that, during the Zia Park meet, the track carded 203 New Mexico-bred overnight races.
“There were 1,856 New Mexico-breds that were scheduled to participate in these races,” she reported. “This is an average of 9.14 New Mexico-breds per race.”
Ms. Davis also gave the commission the
race-a-day report for the first 16 days of the Sunland Park meet, which opened on December 15. During this period, the track carded 73
New Mexico-bred races, 56 for Thoroughbreds and 17 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, Sunland carded 71 state-bred races -- 51 for Thoroughbreds and 20 for Quarter Horses -- during the first 16 days of its 2016-17 season.
An average of 4.56 New Mexico-bred races per day were contested during the first 16 days of the 2017-18 Sunland Park meet, an increase of 3 percent over the 4.44 state-bred races per day dur- ing the first 16 days of the track’s 2016-17 season.
Also, during the first seven days of the Sunland meet, a total of 42 New Mexico-breds competed in open overnight races, of which 13
98 New Mexico Horse Breeder