RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 28, 2011—The presentation of the first annual Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award on is an addition to All American Derby Day on Sunday, September 4th at Ruidoso Downs.

The Grade 1 $1,350,000 (est.) All American Derby will be run over 440 yards later on the card and the summer Ruidoso Downs season closes on the next day with the running of the Grade 1, $2.4-million All American Futurity, North America’s richest race for two-year-olds of any breed.

The ceremony will take place in the winner’s circle and will include the winner’s family, friends and peers.

Quarter Horse racing publication Speedhorse Magazine, in conjunction with the Jockeys’ Guild, will present the award to the winning Quarter Horse jockey, elected by ballot by his peers. The award is established in honor of the memory of late Quarter Horse jockey Sam Thompson, who was highly respected both on and off the track.

Thompson passed away due to injuries sustained after his mount broke down past the wire on December 21, 2008 at Los Alamitos Race Course. One of the leaders in the jockeys’ room during his riding career, Thompson was a Jockeys’ Guild senator and the room representative at Los Alamitos. He was involved with Los Alamitos management during the expansion and renovation of the jockeys’ room at the Orange County track and a council member of the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America.

The Jockeys’ Guild selected five Quarter Horse jockey nominees. Those five names were placed on ballots that were then distributed to all tracks currently hosting Quarter Horse racing. The ballots were distributed only to Quarter Horse riders at those tracks who have competed in at least 10 Quarter Horse pari-mutuel races in the last 12 months. The award is exclusive to the nationwide Quarter Horse jockey colony.

The 2011 nominees are Roy Brooks, G.R. Carter, Jr., Alfonso Lujan, Freddie Martinez and Gilbert Ortiz.

The criteria of the voting was structured around the personal characteristics of the nominees — on and off the track — that have resulted in a positive reflection on Quarter Horse racing.

For more information, contact Greg Thompson, Speedhorse Magazine, at 817-270-5190 or Jockeys’ Guild at 859-523-5625.