Ruidoso Downs Race Track Opens For 2024 Racing Season this Weekend
Ruidoso Downs, NM—Ruidoso Downs Race Track opens for live quarter horse and thoroughbred racing on Friday, May 24 by conducting trials for the Grade-1 $1 million Ruidoso Futurity, the first leg of quarter horse racing’s Triple Crown.
There will be 16 races on Friday and Saturday beginning at Noon each day. The top five qualifying times among the two-year-old quarter horses each day will advance to the finals of the Ruidoso Futurity to be held on Sunday, June 9.
Racing continues on Sunday, May 26 with trials for the $900,000 (est.) Ruidoso Derby for three-year-old quarter horses. The top ten times during these trials will advance to the finals of the Derby to be held Saturday, June 8.
There will be thoroughbred and quarter horse races held on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27 including the first stakes race of the season, the $45,000 John Andreini Memorial Stakes for quarter horses at 350-yards. Post time on Sunday and Monday will be 1 p.m.
Live music will play a big part in the opening weekend’s activities which includes a concert by headliner Stoney LaRue during a Tequila & Margarita Festival to be held after the races on Saturday. The festival opens at 5 p.m., with music scheduled for 7 p.m. in the tent located right outside the main grandstand entrance.
It marks the second appearance by Stoney Larue at Ruidoso Downs. The Texas-born and Oklahoma-raised Larue performed a sold-out show during the 2022 season. LaRue brings a twenty-year career of west-Texas based music to the stage for fans of “red dirt” country. Tickets are available at www.raceruidoso.com or telephone the box office at 575-378-4140.
Ruidoso Downs will also feature live music inside the race track’s Cantina Restaurant all weekend. On Friday and Saturday, the Graham Brothers will perform to the restaurant audience on the patio. On Sunday evening, the Abe Mac Band will perform. All performances on the Cantina patio are free and will begin at 7 p.m.
Ruidoso Downs welcomes corporate sponsor Admiral Beverage Inc. back as the race track’s corporate beer sponsor and has named Coors Light the “official beer of Ruidoso Downs” for the racing season. Other major corporate sponsors for the 2024 racing season include: Rolling Still Vodka and Ponderosa Whiskey; Albertson’s Market, Sierra Blanca Motors, K-Bob’s Steakhouse, City Bank, Santa Fe Furniture and Gifts and Noisy Water Winery.
There will be 47 race days during the 2024 season including every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are two Mondays of racing, May 27 and closing day Sept. 2, and there will be racing on Thursday, July 4. First post time will generally be 1 p.m. with the grandstand opening two hours in advance, but there may be early post times announced during trial days.
Billy the Kid Casino will be open during horse racing season starting at 10 a.m. each day with more than 200 slot machines available to play. There will be various games and promotions offered to patrons at various times throughout the day.
Pricing for seating during the races at Ruidoso Downs will vary based on location and venue. For more information visit www.raceruidoso.com or telephone the box office at 575-378-4140.
