Horse racing meet moving from Ruidoso Downs to Albuquerque

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) — The rest of this year’s racing season at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino will move to Albuquerque after flash flooding on Saturday, July 21 damaged part of the facility, General Manager Rick Baugh said in a video statement.

The rest of the meet will move to the Downs of Albuquerque, but will still be run as a Ruidoso Downs meet, Baugh said. The Downs of Albuquerque is located at the New Mexico State Fairgournds.

Baugh said the move “is heart-breaking” but New Mexico’s horse racing industry is coming together to help.

The decision was made after Saturday’s flooding “compromised bridges and culverts” around the track and flooded parts of the facility, Baugh said.

“This area has never experienced this kind of flooding. You can’t beat Mother Nature. You just can’t,” Baugh said.

Horse racing will return to Ruidoso Downs in 2025, Baugh said.

The Ruidoso area has been hit with two large wildfires this summer and subsequent flooding.

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