Albuquerque Downs is adding Pick-4 wagers and two Pick-3 wagers to its live racing programs.

© Coady Photography

Albuquerque Downs has added a Pick-4 wager and two Pick-3 wagers to its live racing programs. The track has maintained its Pick-4 on its last four races. All Pick-3 and Pick-4 wagers will be 50-cent minimum bets. Traditional win, place, show, exacta, and trifecta wagering is still available on all Albuquerque Downs live races, as is the traditional daily double on the track’s first two races. Superfecta wagering with a 10-cent minimum is available on every race but the first.

During the first 16 days of its 60-day meet, Albuquerque Downs has registered increases in both on- and off-track handle.

Through July 17, on-track handle on Albuquerque Downs’ live races reached $1,050,044, an increase of 8 percent over the $973,779 wagered on the track’s live races through the first 16 days of its 2015 season. Also during this period, $2,705,014 has been wagered off-track on Albuquerque Downs’ live races, up 4 percent from the $2,608,776 bet off-track during the first 16 days of the track’s 2015 meet.

This year’s total handle of $3,755,058 marks a 5-percent increase over last year’s $3,582,555 during the first 16 days.

Through the first 16 days of the Albuquerque Downs meet, Ry Eikleberry leads all Thoroughbred jockeys with 12 wins from 54 mounts, two more than second-place Gonzalo Nicolas and Miguel Perez. The track’s leading Quarter Horse jockey to date, J. Martin Bourdieu, has won nine races from 41 mounts, one more than second-place Alejandro Medellin.

Bourdieu is one of the nominees for this year’s Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award, presented by Speedhorse Magazine and The Jockey’s Guild. The other nominees for the award, which honors riders whose lives and character positively impact the Quarter Horse racing industry, are Joe Badilla Jr., John Hamilton, and Ramon Sanchez.

Albuquerque Downs’ leading Thoroughbred trainers through the first 16 days -- Todd Fincher, Henry Dominguez and Justin Evans -- have all saddled the winners of eight races. Ron Stephens leads all Quarter Horse trainers with seven wins from 15 starters, one more than second-place Adam Tapia.

Albuquerque Downs Racetrack and Casino is located in the heart of Albuquerque at Expo New Mexico, the home of the New Mexico State Fair. For more information, visit abqdowns.com and click on the "Racetrack" link at the top of the homepage.