At its monthly meeting on February 18, the New Mexico Racing Commission (NMRC) made a motion to cancel the 2020-21 horse racing meet at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino. This year’s meet was scheduled to start in December and finish on March 30, with 47 days of racing. But the property, both the racetrack and the casino, have been closed since March 15, 2020, due to Covid-19. Among the canceled events was the Sunland Derby, a point qualifier for the Kentucky Derby.
According to MSN, casinos at racetracks in Albuquerque, Hobbs, Ruidoso and Farmington have also remained closed. Ruidoso finished its summer racing meet last September, while Albuquerque and Zia finished their meets in the fall with reduced days and purses.
According to NMRC, Ruidoso Race Track & Casino, SunRay Park in Farmington, the Downs at Albuquerque and Zia Park in Hobbs all have race dates set for 2021, but those dates are questionable should the casinos remain closed. Casino revenues help provide the purse money for horse racing.
Several trainers, jockeys and owners have gone elsewhere this winter as horse racing has stalled at Sunland Park, reported MSN. Among the tracks where they have gone are Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona, and Sam Houston Park in Houston.
