Location | Sunland Park, New Mexico |
---|---|
Owned by | Stanley E. Fulton |
Date opened | 1959 |
Race type | Thoroughbred and quarter horse |
[ Official website] |
Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino is a racino located in Sunland Park, New Mexico, a suburb in southern New Mexico.
Opened in 1959 as a Thoroughbred racing track, Sunland Park was the only legalized gambling venue in the region for many years. In 1999, at a time when horse racing was experiencing a decline as casinos and lotteries became commonplace, New Mexico legislators allowed slot machines at the track. Now with over 700 machines in play, racing at Sunland has benefited greatly, with purses increasing from a $35,000 daily average in the early 1990s to nearly a quarter million per day today. [1]
Sunland Park was the track where jockeys Jerry Bailey, Pat Valenzuela, and Cash Asmussen got their starts. Bill Shoemaker, who hails from the area, also rode at Sunland. [1]
The casino, open 112 hours a week, also offers many electronic table games including roulette, blackjack and Texas Hold 'Em. [2]
The 2021–22 racing season, which features both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, runs from December 31 through April 3. Live racing is traditionally offered four days each week on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Year-round Simulcast wagering is also available on racetracks across the country.
The live racing season is highlighted by the Sunland Park Derby, run at 1+1⁄16 miles for three-year-olds on February 18, 2024. The purse is currently $400,000. The race, which was granted grade 3 status in 2010, is included in the Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding 20 points to the winner, 10 to second, 6 to third, 4 to fourth, and 2 to fifth. Prior to 2024, the Sunland Park Derby awarded 50–20–15–10–5 points to the 1st thru 5th place finishers respectively, therefore the winner was essentially guaranteed a spot in the Kentucky Derby. Also prior to 2024, the race was run about a month later.
Other notable races include the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks, a 1+1⁄16-mile Kentucky Oaks prep for fillies; the $200,000 Sunland Park Handicap for three-year-olds and up at 1+1⁄8 miles, the $100,000 Harry W. Henson Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile; the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby, 6+1⁄2 furlongs for three-year-olds, and the $125,000 Mine That Bird Derby, run at 1+1⁄8 miles.
The following Graded events were held at Sunland Park in 2023.
Grade III
Ungraded Park
Sunlands top quarter horse race is the $350,000 Grade 1 Championship at Sunland Park, run January 2, 2022. [3] The $175,000 added New Mexican Spring Futurity at 300 yards is run April 3, 2022. [4]
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1+1⁄8 miles (1,800 m) at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds (55 kg). The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year. The winner gets $750,000 of the $1,250,000 purse, and a large garland blanket of lilies, resulting in the nickname "Lillies for the Fillies." A silver Kentucky Oaks Trophy is presented to the winner.
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1+1⁄16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in early November.
The Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade III stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over a distance of 1 mile on dirt. It currently offers a purse of $500,000.
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on the dirt and carries a purse of US$400,000. It is one of the final prep races on the official Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for horse racing in the United States, and is open 365 days a year.
Tampa Bay Downs is an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County in the U.S. state of Florida, just outside Tampa. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs, and has also been known as Sunshine Park and Florida Downs and Turf Club.
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, formerly Oaklawn Park Race Track, is an American thoroughbred racetrack and casino in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to "The Racing Festival of the South", a four-day series of races that concludes with the Arkansas Derby.
The Gazelle Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, New York. It is a Grade III event run over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on dirt that is open to three-year-old fillies. The race was previously run in the Fall at Belmont Park and often used as a stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup Distaff. As of 2013, the race is now run in the Spring at Aqueduct, typically on the same day as the Wood Memorial, and is now used as a prep race for the Kentucky Oaks.
The Personal Ensign Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the third week of August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to fillies and Mares age three and older, it is contested at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on dirt.
The New York Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged four-years-old and older run over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the turf scheduled annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The current purse is $600,000.
Delaware Park is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track, casino, and golf course in Stanton, Delaware. It is located just outside the city of Wilmington, and about 30 miles from Philadelphia.
The Withers Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $250,000.
Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing track and casino located in Farmington in western New York State, approximately 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Rochester. The facility is about one mile south of New York State Thruway exit 44.
The Arlington Classic Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old horses over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on the turf held annually in late May at Arlington Park race track near Chicago.
The Sunland Park Oaks is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies and mares racing one mile on the dirt. The Oaks, an ungraded stakes event, is currently held in February at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino in New Mexico.
The Autumn Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in mid November, it is open to horses aged three and older. It was raced on dirt until 2006 when the track's owners installed the new synthetic Polytrack surface. For 2008, the Canadian Graded Stakes Committee upgraded the Autumn Stakes to Grade II status.
The Modesty Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Jersey Derby is a $60,000 American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in late July/early August at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Since 1993, it has been raced on grass at a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.
Ruler on Ice is a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 2011 Belmont Stakes. He was bred and foaled in Kentucky by Brandywine Farm in partnership with Liberation Farm on. He is a chestnut gelding sired by Hill 'n' Dale Farms' Roman Ruler out of the Saratoga Six-bred mare, Champagne Glow. The colt was consigned as lot 988 at the 2009 Keeneland September yearling auction, where he was purchased by George and Lori Hall for $100,000. Ruler on Ice only won one minor race after winning the Belmont and was retired from racing in July 2014. He lives in Versailles, Kentucky at the farm of his owners.