The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting at its headquarters in Albuquerque on Wednesday.

New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association executive director Anna Fay Davis gave the commission her race-a-day reports for SunRay Park, through the end of that track’s meet on July 4, and Ruidoso Downs through July 18. During the 45-day SunRay meet, the track ran 210 New Mexico-bred races – 146 for Thoroughbreds and 64 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, SunRay carded 213 state-bred races during its 44-day 2009 meet, 125 for Thoroughbreds and 88 for Quarter Horses.

SunRay Park ran an average of 4.67 New Mexico-bred races a day, a decrease of 3.5 percent from the 4.84 state-bred races a day the track ran during its ’09 meet.

Also at SunRay, a total of 460 New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses ran in open overnight races, of which 132 (29 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 80 were Quarter Horses and 52 were Thoroughbreds. Bonuses totaling $81,316.80 were paid to the owners of these horses.

Ruidoso Downs’ meet, which opened May 28, has run a total of 131 New Mexico-bred races during its first 32 days – 77 for Thoroughbreds and 54 for Quarter Horses. A total of 127 state-bred races – 74 for Thoroughbreds and 53 for Quarter Horses – were contested during the first 31 days of the track’s 2009 season.

Through July 18, Ruidoso has run an average of 4.1 New Mexico-bred races a day, the same number the track ran during the first 31 days of its ’09 season.

During the first 24 days of the current Ruidoso Downs meet, a total of 219 New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses ran in open overnight races, of which 79 (36 percent) finished first, second or third. Of this total, 40 were Quarter Horses and 39 were Thoroughbreds. Bonuses totaling $33,786.60 were paid to the owners of these horses.

Commissioner Larry Delgado discussed the commission’s safety subcommittee meeting held in Farmington on June 30.

“The track condition (at SunRay Park) was probably the best of any track in the state, according to what I heard from the trainers and jockeys I talked to,” Delgado said. “I was pleased to hear that, because if a track is in good condition, it can cut down on injuries to horses and jockeys.

“I also had an opportunity to go to the starting gate and watch what goes on there, and that convinced me even more that it’s important for the assistant starters and gate crew to wear safety vests and helmets,” he added.

Related to the safety issue, the following rule is scheduled to go into effect on August 17 – “Any licensed assistant starter and any licensee mounted on a horse or stable pony on the association’s racing surface (racetrack surface) must wear a properly fastened New Mexico Racing Commission-approved protective helmet and safety vest. The safety vest worn by a jockey shall weigh no more than two pounds and all vests shall be designed to provide shock-absorbing protection to the upper body of at least a rating of five, as defined by the British Equestrian Trade Association.”

In his monthly report to the commission, New Mexico Horsemen’s Association executive director Pat Bingham said that about 600 horses are still in training at SunRay Park. Last year, training took place at The Downs at Santa Fe, due to other activities taking place in Farmington.

Bingham also talked about negotiations between the NMHA and Jockeys’ Guild regarding jockey mount fees.

“Our ad-hoc committee met on the issue and came up with some recommendations,” Bingham said. “We’ve met with the Guild, and we’re both in the same ballpark – we’re in left field, they’re in right field – but the good news is that we’re closer to resolving this issue than we were before. We hope to have it resolved before the next commission meeting in August.”

Jockeys’ Guild Southwest region manager John Beech agreed with Bingham.

“We’re very close (to reaching an agreement), compared to where we were a year ago,” Beech added.

The issue of jockey mount fees came to a head at SunRay Park on April 24, when jockeys refused to ride, forcing track management to cancel its scheduled 10-race program.

“If this communication and these negotiations continue, and you can resolve the issue at your level, then it doesn’t have to reach us,” Delgado told Bingham and Beech.

Sunland Park general manager Harold Payne said his track would like to add two new wagers – a Place Pick-9 and Grand Slam wager – for its 2010-11 meet, which opens December 10.

The Place Pick-9, which has been popular for several years in California, requires bettors to select the first- or second-place finishers in nine consecutive races. There is no carryover provision.

The Grand Slam wager, which is popular at New York Racing Association tracks, requires bettors to select show horses in three consecutive races, followed by the winner in the fourth leg.

Payne said that he is working with commission staff to develop rules for these wagers.

Also, the commission approved the appointment of Dr. Steven England to be the state veterinarian during The Downs at Albuquerque meet, which begins on August 14, and it approved a request by La Mesa Racetrack and Casino in Raton to appoint a third party before it makes a decision whether or not to revoke La Mesa’s racing license.

Last May, the New Mexico Gaming Control Board revoked La Mesa’s gaming license because developers missed repeated deadlines to open up the casino. Representing La Mesa and its developer, Michael Moldenhauer, attorney Sam Bregman told the racing commission that state racing laws allow Moldenhauer to request that an independent third party – a non-commission member, more than likely a judge or attorney – hear his case before the commission takes action on La Mesa’s racing license.

The next commission meeting will be held on Monday, August 16, at the commission headquarters at 4900 Alameda NE in Albuquerque. The public session will begin at 10:30 a.m.

For more information on commission meetings, including approved minutes, visit the commission’s website at http://nmrc.state.nm.us/index.html.