Flooding prompts Ruidoso Downs to move meet to Albuquerque

Ruidoso Downs is moving the remainder of its 2024 meet to Albuquerque.

The New Mexico track said in a Facebook post that the move resulted from an agreement with state racing officials and Downs of Albuquerque owner Paul Blachard.

“We are grateful to chairman Billy Smith (of the New Mexico Racing Commission) and Mr. Blanchard for working with us,” Ruidoso Downs general manager Rick Baugh said in the post. “We are all working in coordination to do what is best for the New Mexico racing industry.”

Ruidoso Downs was forced to cancel five races on Saturday and the entire race card Sunday when flash flooding caused major damage to the race track and two bridges located near the entrance of the facility and in the barn area. The race track and casino were closed until temporary bridges could be put in place.

These X posts from jockey Irwin Rosendo show the effects of the flooding.

“The safety of our customers, employees and animals are most important,” Baugh said. “Ruidoso Downs will take the necessary steps over the course of the offseason to make the necessary repairs. We look forward to our visitors coming back in 2025.”

Final preparations to continue the race meeting, including when the first races will be held in Albuquerque, were being finalized.

“There are plenty of moving parts to this decision,” Baugh said. “We intend to reschedule the Rainbow Derby and Rainbow Oaks along with the New Mexico-bred races that were missed this weekend, and the triple crown trial races will go on as scheduled."

Baugh said the New Mexico-bred horse sale scheduled for Aug. 9-10 will move to Albuquerque, as will the All American Futurity, Derby and Oaks trials, the Ruidoso Downs select sale and All American Futurity, Derby, Oaks and Gold Cup scheduled for Labor Day weekend. Plans called for the horse sales to be held in Tingley Collusium.

“We understand the tremendous economic impact of moving the remainder of the racing season will have on the Ruidoso community,” Baugh said. “We are left with little choice based on the current condition of our track, bridges and barn area. We have suffered a setback but are determined to build back Ruidoso Downs and make it a beautiful facility and return racing here in 2025.”