HOBBS, NM—JUNE 30, 2015—Zia Park Racetrack has released its stakes schedule for its 11th season of live racing, which begins September 12.

Zia Park’s 56-day meet will be highlighted by the third annual Land of Enchantment Day on November 25 and New Mexico Cup Day on November 1. Zia Park will host 33 stakes races in 2015 for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses with total purses of almost $4 million.

Land of Enchantment Day on Thanksgiving Eve will feature eight stakes races worth a total of more than $1.2 million. The richest event of that afternoon will be the third running of the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles. The card will also feature two Quarter Horse races as well—the 440-yard, $150,000 Zia Park Championship (G1), and the 400-yard, $140,000 New Mexico Fillies and Mares Championship (RG1) for state-bred distaffers.

The 2014 Zia Park Championship was won by Brian and Dana Stroud's JRC Callas First, who used his victory as a springboard toward his world champion title.

Last year’s Land of Enchantment Day set the second highest single-day handle record at Zia Park of $1.275 million, behind only the inaugural running in 2013.

“We are excited this year based upon the progressive successes we have experienced the last couple of years here at Zia,” said Director of Racing Operations Fred Hutton. “We are very grateful by the reception from owners and trainers from all over the country and even Canada getting on board for our big races and hope to continue to put Zia Park in the national spotlight.

“We are focused on creating value to our on track and simulcast patrons with competitive race cards,” he added. “Our Mondays and Tuesday racing schedule garnered solid support from our simulcast customers across the nation, and we plan to continue to build on that segment of our program.”

Zia Park will host the richest day of state-bred stakes races in the country on New Mexico Cup Day on November 1 with 12 stakes races for New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses totaling more than $2 million in purses.

Zia Park will present live racing on a Saturday-through-Tuesday schedule through closing day, December 15. The lone exception to this schedule will be Land of Enchantment Day, which will take place on a Tuesday. Post time for the first race each day will be at 12:15 p.m.