Ruidoso Downs, NM (KKOB) – Ruidoso Downs will not have a racing season at its track for the first time in over 80 years and due to flooding concerns the track and the state have decided it can no longer be used as a public venue.
Citing concerns over the track’s security and damage from previous catastrophic flooding, Monday, officials with the Ruidoso Downs Race Track announced that the entire 2026 race season will be held at the Downs of Albuquerque this year and that the track will close.
“A rainfall event of two inches per hour over the fire-scarred areas creates a high risk of dangerous flooding at Ruidoso Downs Race Track that could be life threatening,” according to a press release.
This summer will mark the first summer in more than 80 years that there has not been organized horse racing at Ruidoso Downs. Initially known as Hollywood Park, the track first hosted parimutuel racing in 1947.
“This news is heartbreaking for our entire community. Ruidoso Downs Race Track is far more than a venue; it is woven into the very fabric of our region’s identity and economy,” according to Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford
It has hosted the All American Futurity – the world’s richest quarter horse race – since 1959.
