The deadly flood once again washed out the Ruidoso Downs racetrack, bringing devastating news to the world of horse racing.
Flash floods kill three and shut down Ruidoso Downs
Horse racing season canceled after severe track damage
Second major flood since 2024 devastates local community
Authorities said three people, including two children, died in the village of Ruidoso after being swept away by the raging waters.
Rescue efforts continued into Wednesday as authorities assessed the damage.
A track official confirmed that one horse was killed in the torrent and others remained unaccounted for
Ten have been treated for minor wounds.
Racing Canceled
Ruidoso Downs was in the middle of a Quarter Horse race meet and was scheduled to host racing on Saturday.
Izzy Trejo, executive director of the New Mexico Racing Commission, confirmed that the remainder of the season would be canceled
“There will be no more racing there for 2025,” Trejo said, adding that it’s unclear as to whether any races would be rescheduled.
P People need to catch their breath here,” he added. “Thoughts are flowing but I can’t say any of them have traction at this point. I can say, the Commission is going to be there to support the horse racing industry and Ruidoso in the best way we possibly can.”
The area is heavily prone to flash flooding due to the surrounding mountainous terrain, but this has worsened since the devastating wildfires of last summer.
‘We Lost the Track Again’
