Column: Bringing back live horse racing in New Mexico is the right move

The time had arrived for New Mexico to help its horse racing community. The situation becomes more dire with each day. 

But good news came Tuesday as Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino announced Thursday that horses will be allowed on the track and in the barn area beginning Friday, May 1, and that live racing will start as planned May 22 without spectators and licensed personnel only. Ruidoso Downs is home to some of the biggest quarter horse races in the world, including the All American Futurity.  

The decision to allow live horse racing right now is the right one, even without fans. The financial impact horse racing has in New Mexico is enormous. In the last fiscal year, the horse racing industry reported more than $48 million in purses. No money coming in for the trainers, owners and jockeys could mean the loss of important people in the horse racing community in aspects from owners to backside workers. 

Horse trainer Justin Evans has been one of the top trainers in New Mexico for the past several years, mainly doing his work on the New Mexico circuit, which includes the Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino.

A week ago, Evans and wife, Vanessa, were making final preparations for their 17-hour drive to Nebraska to have four of their horses compete at little-known Fonner Park.

As most horse racing tracks around the world have shut down because of the COVID-19, some have adapted to remain open, including Fonner Park, two tracks in Oklahoma, two tracks in Florida, one track in Arkansas and one in California. The tracks are running live races without spectators.

New Mexico starting gates have been silent for more than 45 days, leaving trainers such as Evans to take a chance on leaving New Mexico with a few horses to try and bring in money for them and their owners.

Sunland Park has allowed trainers and owners to keep their horses on the grounds for training purposes. The training staff is staying busy feeding, exercising and keeping their stables clean.

The last horse race in New Mexico was on March 15, one week before the $700,000 Sunland Derby. The race marks one of the most lucrative days in racing at Sunland Park, with more than $1 million in purses on the line. No Sunland Derby meant no horse had a chance to earn qualifying points race in the Kentucky Derby, which normally would have run May 2.

The 146th Kentucky Derby and Oaks were pushed back to Sept. 3-4 because of COVID-19.

It was a lost chance for Sunland Park, its trainers, owners, jockeys and horses to be in the national horse racing spotlight for at least one day. It was also a lost chance to highlight some of the best New Mexico bed stakes horses and older champions.

Since then, trainers, jockeys, owners, groomsmen and exercise riders have all suffered economically from the shutdown in live racing.

At the aforementioned open tracks that are still racing, no fans are allowed, only essential personnel using social distancing best practices. Fans are allowed to wager on the races where permitted by state law.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has positioned her state to exit COVID-19 restrictions sooner than some states. Last week, the state of New Mexico extended its stay at home order until May 15.

She had remained cool to allowing live racing without spectators, but now with Ruidoso Downs opening up, she has taken a much needed step forward. SunRay Park in Farmington has canceled its meet, which was slated to open earlier this month.  

Trainer Jose R. Gonzalez isn’t trying to diminish the severity of the virus but he’s also keen on the financial problems facing the industry without live racing into the late spring and summer.

He’s worked hard to try and get the state of New Mexico to listen to his ideas of bringing live racing back with coronavirus safety protocols in place.

The stoppage in racing has left owners scrambling to figure out if they want to leave the business or try and sell their horses, backside workers without jobs and it made trainers such as Evans to take quality horses to tracks elsewhere. 

There are positives stories coming out of this such as Sunland Park stepping up to help the trainers stay on the grounds and Vanessa Evans helping organize purchasing hay for those who need it. The New Mexico Horsemen’s Association has also tried to give some much needed relief, as well, as it tries to help those in need financially. 

There will be a time and place for fans to return, but for now live horse racing is key for the survival of so many, otherwise the sport will lose owners, trainers, jockeys. 

Nobody I’ve spoken with is saying the pandemic isn’t life changing, but for the jockeys, trainers, owners, backside workers and exercise riders, horse racing is their lives. Trainers and jockeys don’t get lucrative signing bonuses and even though horses are training in the morning, there isn’t much money to be made there.

Tracks in Oklahoma, Nebraska, California and Florida have been safe so far and let’s hope it stays that way. They’ve also found ways to making racing happen. 

The fact that Ruidoso is opening up later this week is a good step forward for the industry and a good step forward that the state is supporting one of its major industries. 

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Felix F. Chavez may be reached at 915-546-6167; fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on Twitter.