Ruidoso flooding wipes out horse racing season
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Ruidoso flooding wipes out horse racing season
Ruidoso Downs began a new horse racing season last May, hoping to turn a chapter after last year’s flooding from wildfire burn scars. Construction crews installed new piping during the spring to divert water underneath the track. On Wednesday it was unclear what would become of the race or the race track this year. “As you can imagine, emotions are raw after all the work and planning that went into that, and now for it to be destroyed,” Mayor Crawford said.
RUIDOSO, N.M. — There will be no more horse races at Ruidoso Downs for 2025, after flood waters ravaged the race track for the second year in a row.
“The racing season is canceled for 2025,” Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford announced at a press conference following Tuesday’s deadly floods.
The Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino is one of the crown jewels of the area’s tourism industry. On Wednesday morning however, it looked like a field of mud.
Ruidoso Downs began a new horse racing season last May, hoping to turn a chapter after last year’s flooding from wildfire burn scars.
Race track officials spent months rebuilding the track and adding new infrastructure after flooding canceled the race season in 2024. Construction crews installed new piping during the spring to divert water underneath the track.
The Rio Ruidoso runs through the property, creating a flooding challenge..
Ruidoso Downs is home to the All American Futurity, one of the biggest events in Quarter Horse racing. On Wednesday it was unclear what would become of the race or the race track this year.
“I don’t know what the future is,” Mayor Crawford said. “As you can imagine, emotions are raw after all the work and planning that went into that, and now for it to be destroyed. So there will be more determinations made on that later.”
Race track officials issued the following statement after the mayor’s announcement:
“We want to start this morning by saying Thank you to all that have reached out and checked in on our property, team members and animals. Due to the severity of the flood waters, we are currently assessing all damage to best determine next steps. Safety is our top priority and what we will focus on today as we work towards a plan. Our thoughts & prayers are with all those affected and serve as a reminder that we are stronger together. #ruidosostrong. We will continue to post on social media and our website as details come available.”
Source: https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/ruidoso-flooding-wipes-out-horse-racing-season/