Ruidoso Downs remains sidelined for the 2026 racing season following devastating flood damage, with The Downs at Albuquerque serving as the temporary home for the historic New Mexico meet.

© Ruidoso Downs

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM–MAY 24, 2026–The 2026 racing season is underway at The Downs at Albuquerque, which is again serving as the temporary home for the Ruidoso Downs meet while the famed mountain racetrack remains sidelined following devastating flood damage.

Ruidoso Downs was forced to suspend operations after severe flash flooding last year washed away significant portions of the property, prompting officials to relocate the meet to Albuquerque for a second consecutive season. The long-term future of racing in Ruidoso, however, remains uncertain.

Live racing opened this weekend in Albuquerque and will remain there throughout the season, but Ruidoso Downs General Manager Rick Baugh said efforts to restore racing to its longtime home continue daily.

“We’re working on it every day,” Baugh told KOAT Action News. “That’s all I do every day, is to bring the product back. Kentucky has come after us and asked us to bring our Triple Crown races to Kentucky. Do we want to do that? No. We want it to stay right here in New Mexico.”

Returning racing to Ruidoso Downs would require a substantial financial commitment to repair and protect the property from future flooding. Still, Baugh emphasized the importance of the racetrack to the region’s economy.

According to Baugh, the racetrack generated between $160 million and $180 million annually, serving as a major economic driver for both the Village of Ruidoso and the City of Ruidoso Downs, communities heavily reliant on tourism and horse racing.

Questions remain about whether sufficient flood mitigation efforts can be completed to safely resume operations at the historic track.

“There has been no flood mitigation done to stop the water from coming to the racetrack,” Baugh told KOAT. “Now the river is deeper and wider and clean. There’s no telling, with the El Niño especially setting up, the capacity of the water that’s going to come.”

Ruidoso Downs has hosted Quarter Horse racing for 78 years and is home to some of the sport’s most prestigious events, including the All American Futurity, Rainbow Futurity and Ruidoso Futurity.

The Ruidoso Futurity and Derby trials were held this weekend at the Downs at Albuquerque. CLICK HERE for complete details on the upcoming trials.

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