The New Mexico Racing Commission held its monthly meeting at its headquarters in Albuquerque on Wednesday, June 15.

New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association executive director Anna Fay Davis gave the commission her race-a-day reports for SunRay Park in Farmington through June 7. During the first 28 days of the SunRay meet, the track ran 115 New Mexico-bred races – 78 for Thoroughbreds and 37 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, SunRay Park carded 160 state-bred races during the first 32 days its 2010 meet, 113 for Thoroughbreds and 47 for Quarter Horses.

Also, during the first 20 days of the current SunRay Meet, a total of 246 New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses ran in open overnight races, of which 69 (28 percent) finished first, second, or third. Of this total, 41 were Thoroughbreds and 28 were Quarter Horses. Bonuses totaling $45,875 were paid to the owners of these horses.

By comparison, a total of 185 state-breds competed in open races during the first 25 days of SunRay Park's 2010 meet, of which 58 (32 percent) ran first, second, or third. Of this total, 11 were Thoroughbreds and 47 were Quarter Horses, and bonuses totaling $37,393.20 were paid to the owners of these horses.
“It's encouraging that New Mexico-breds are racing and doing well in open races at SunRay Park,” Davis told the commission. “We're quite pleased by that.”

During the first eight days of the Ruidoso Downs meet, which began May 28, the track ran 32 New Mexico-bred races, 18 for Thoroughbreds and 14 for Quarter Horses. By comparison, Ruidoso Downs carded 47 state-bred races during the first 12 days of its 2010 season, 25 for Thoroughbreds and 22 for Quarter Horses.

Ruidoso Downs' 60-day meet runs through Labor Day, September 5.

Also at the meeting, commissioner Ray Willis of Roswell, representing the commission's medication committee, said that the committee is planning to have a meeting at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack sometime in July.

“A meeting in Ruidoso, while the race meet is taking place, would make it easier for trainers and practicing veterinarians to attend,” Willis said. “We think it's a good idea to have some of these medication meetings at the tracks that are racing at the time.”

Commission chairman Rob Doughty of Albuquerque also formed a committee to study the issue of 2012 race dates. Willis and commission co-chair Beverly Bourguet of Albuquerque agreed to serve on the committee, which will also consist of representatives from the NMHBA, New Mexico Horsemen's Association, and all five of the state's racetracks.

On the subject of race dates, NMHA executive director Jack McGrail told the commission that his organization is concerned about SunRay Park's proposal to cut its 2012 race meet to 40 days, a drop of eight days from this year. Also, McGrail expressed concerns about The Downs at Albuquerque's proposal to move its 2012 meet to the spring, while still conducting a 17-day New Mexico State Fair meet in September.

“In our opinion, SunRay Park already runs a short meet, and a cut to 40 days would represent a 17-percent cut in dates,” McGrail told the commission. “Also, if Albuquerque runs a spring meet and a stand-alone State Fair meet in September, that would increase shipping costs to horsemen.

“I'm just voicing our preliminary concerns,” he added. “I know these issues will be worked out during our race-date committee meetings.”

McGrail also addressed the subject of a bill recently introduced into the U.S. Congress on May 4 by Sen. Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Kentucky). The bill, titled the Interstate Horse Racing Improvement Act, would ban the use of all performance-enhancing drugs on race day and implement a three-strikes-and-your-out penalty system.

“We want to get feedback from our racetrack veterinarians before we form a position on this bill,” McGrail said. “Currently, we oppose the bill as it is written. We don't think the federal government should be involved in this issue.”

The next commission meeting will be held at the commission's headquarters in Albuquerque on Thursday, July 21. The executive session will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by a public session at 10:30. For more information, contact the commission at (505) 222-0700, or visit the commission's website at www.nmrc.state.nm.us.