Albuquerque Downs in New Mexico will open its 27-day Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meet on Saturday, Aug. 14. First post is set for 6:05 p.m. (MDT).
The track's nine-race opening-night program consists of nine races, six for Quarter Horses and three for Thoroughbreds. Saturday's feature race, the first running of the 440-yard, $75,000 Bank of America Albuquerque Championship Challenge, has drawn a field of nine aged Quarter Horses, headed by Stinebaugh Racing Enterprises' Perrys Double Down and Christina D. Robinson's CERs Final Try.
A 4-year-old Mr Jess Perry gelding trained by John Stinebaugh, Perrys Double Down is coming off of a one-length victory in the 400-yard, $40,000 Mr Jet Moore Stakes (G2) at Ruidoso Downs on July 25. Perrys Double Down has earned $281,840 from 14 races, and he ended his 3-year-old season with a half-length victory in the 440-yard, $393,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park near Dallas.
CERs Final Try will be stretching out in distance off of his half-length win in the 350-yard, $25,000 John Andreini Memorial Stakes at Ruidoso Downs on May 31. Tony Sedillo trains the homebred 4-year-old son of One Dashing Eagle.
Saturday's card at Albuquerque Downs includes the 1-mile, $20,000 Downs at Albuquerque Marathon Claiming Stakes for $6,250 claimers, the first leg of the track's three-race Marathon Series for Thoroughbreds, and an 870-yard, $42,400 open-condition allowance race which drew reigning AQHA distance champion Madewell and will serve as a prep for the September 18, $60,000-estimated AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G3).
According to Don Cook, Downs' president of racing, average daily purses at the track are expected to average a track-record $300,000 per day. Business has been brisk at the track's casino since it reopened earlier this year after being closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“We've also noticed a big increase in our simulcast handle,” Cook said. “When the COVID lockdowns first started, horse racing was the only sport that was still going on; horse racing was receiving a lot of television coverage and appears to have generated some new fans.
“It will be interesting to see if that translates into increased attendance for our live meet,” he added. “We're encouraged by the early returns.”
If opening weekend entries are any indication, Cook has good reason to be encouraged. Saturday's opening-day program drew 95 entries, or an average of 10.6 horses per race. Sunday's nine race card, which is headed by two Thoroughbred stakes, attracted 97 starters, or an average of 10.8 horses per race.
The main portion of Albuquerque Downs' 2021 season runs through Sunday, Sept. 19. The track's stakes schedule features 23 races, 13 for Thoroughbreds and 10 for Quarter Horses. The Thoroughbred stakes schedule is topped by the 1 1/8-mile, $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap on Sept. 18. Last year's winner, Restrainedvengence, has earned $142,960 from nine starts in California this season, and he won the June 20 American Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Albuquerque Downs' Quarter Horse stakes schedule is headed by the 440-yard, $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1), presented by South Point Hotel and Casino, on closing day. Danjer, the winner of last year's Fall Championship, went on to earn AQHA champion aged horse honors.
Albuquerque Downs will also host the AQHA's Bank of America Challenge Championships on Saturday, Oct. 23, making the track the first in the 28-year history of the program to host the event three consecutive seasons. Next year's Challenge Championships will be held at Indiana Grand Casino and Racecourse near Indianapolis.
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