Track Renovation Underway At Ruidoso Downs For Summer Season

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM - January 28, 2011 – An intensive renovation of the Ruidoso Downs racing surface is underway on the seven-eighths mile thoroughbred oval and the 550-yard quarter horse chute under the supervision of Ruidoso Downs vice president of racing and facilities Les Nichols and renowned international track consultant Dennis Moore.

Ruidoso Downs is the only track in the world with separate race tracks for thoroughbreds and quarter horses.

“We continually work to maintain a fair and consistent racing surface for the safety of the jockeys and horses. This is a major off-season project that will take about a month. We’ve been working for several weeks and should be done in a couple of weeks,” said Nichols.

The track will open for training in late April with the summer season beginning on May 27. Highlighting the meet is the Grade 1, $2,400,000 All American Futurity on Labor Day, the world’s richest quarter horse race with a guaranteed all-time record first-place check of $1,200,000.

“We’re removing the upper cushion of the track and exposing the base,” Moore said.

“We are then running the all the cushion material through a Powerscreen with a shaker and a five-millimeter screen. We’ll return the screened material to the track after we check the base. We may have to add additional screened material, possibly as much as 2,000 yards.

“When the base is exposed we will evaluate it and make any repairs. We will also measure the grade (angle) of the track and make any adjustments, if they are needed.”

Some of the world’s premier horses race at Ruidoso Downs. Last year, six of the 10 champion quarter horses raced at Ruidoso Downs, including 2010 world champion Apollitical Jess.

Expected to return this summer is 2010 champion 2-year-old American Runaway, 2010 champion-2year-old gelding JLS Mr Bigtime and 2010 champion aged gelding Noconi. Last summer, American Runaway won the Ruidoso Futurity, JLS Mr Bigtime was the close second-place finisher in the All American Futurity and Noconi won the All American Gold Cup.

American Runaway and JLS Mr Bigtime could compete in the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby and/or the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby and will point at the Grade 1 All American Derby.

The 2010 All American Derby had a record purse of $1,548,645, making it the all-time richest quarter horse derby and the all-time richest quarter horse race for 3-year old or older quarter horses. It was won by 2010 champion 3-year-old gelding Double Down Special over world champion Apollitical Jess.

The 2010 Rainbow Derby had an all-time record purse of $873,441 and the 2010 Ruidoso Derby had a record purse of $568,965. Those Rainbow Derby and Ruidoso Derby purses were the first time in quarter horse racing history that derby purses exceeded their futurity counterparts. The 2010 Rainbow Futurity purse was $625,000 and the 2010 Ruidoso Futurity purse was $500,000.

Two-time champion Noconi could return to defend his victory in the All American Gold Cup on Labor Day weekend. He was also named the 2008 champion 3-year-old gelding after winning the 2008 All American Derby.

- photo by Ty Wyant