Big Money Mike, indeed: Smith's appearance raises $25,000 for PDJF

Photo: Gay Harris/Ruidoso Downs

More than $25,000 was raised for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund through poster sales on Sunday while the handle for last weekend’s three days of trials to the $1 million Rainbow Futurity and Rainbow Derby was up 27 percent at Ruidoso Downs.

New Mexico native and Triple Crown-winning jockey

 Mike Smith was at the track for the
 Mike Smith Victory Celebration
 on Sunday. He signed posters of Justify completing the Triple Crown with the Belmont Stakes win with Smith 
aboard. Autographed posters and other significant contributions raised $21,352 while unsigned posters added $3,740. All proceeds go to the PDJF.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez presented
 Smith with a New Mexico flag and a proclamation declaring that July 8th will always be Mike Smith Day in New Mexico. Congressman Steve Pearce gave Smith a United States flag that flew over the United States Capitol. New Mexico State Senate President pro tempore Mary Kay Papen presented Smith with a Senate Memorial.

Ruidoso Downs also had a boisterous weekend with handle for the three racing days reaching $2,337,542, an increase of over 27 percent for last year’s comparable racing week.

Good trial racing plus Mike Smith Day equal success and we are thankful for the fans and horsemen that made a memorable weekend,” Ruidoso Downs’ president and general manager Jeff True said. “Governor Martinez, Congressman Pearce, and Senator Papen made it official with their proclamations and presence. We now look towards the second half of our summer race meeting.”

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