© by Ray Sanchez 
08.21.16
Have you noticed that Albuquerque has gone to holding horse racing at night? Yes!
The Downs Racetrack and Casino at Albuquerque this year underwent a full renovation of its grandstand, put in a Jumbotron, installed lights and made other improvements. So now, races on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays have been starting at 6:05 p.m.
Wisely, races on Sundays are still in the afternoon, starting at 1:30 p.m. That way, folks can get home early to start the new week.
HOW IS NIGHT racing going? Splendidly, especially since the daytime temperatures have been so high this summer. Thousands of spectators showed up on opening night and they’ve kept coming. The big TV screen has been a big hit and spectators seem to like the fact glass windows have been removed. The grandstand used to be enclosed by windows on the front and sides and the open air makes the stands seem closer to the action.
Marketing director Brian Roybal pointed out the benefits of night racing. He stated, “You can get here after work now and you’re going to have the option of watching a full race card. You’ll be a little bit cooler, the shadows will be hitting right and you’re not going to have to worry about the 90 degree temperatures on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.”
IT ALL SOUNDS fine and dandy but I recall the time when Sunland Park Racetrack tried night horse racing in the 1960s. It was fine and dandy, too, until the lights went out during a race.
Bob Haynsworth, then general manager, had made a daring move. He had lights installed and began night horse racing on Friday nights. There was night greyhound racing in Juarez at the time and Sunland officials figured holding night racing would help Sunland better compete with Juarez and help the Sunland handle.
IT DID HELP – until one night a transformer blew out during one of the races. It threw the entire track into darkness and five horses went tumbling to the ground. Four of the jockeys escaped injury but one didn’t and he sued the track. He got a generous settlement and that was the end of night racing at Sunland.
Sunland Racetrack sold the light poles to Santa Teresa Country Club and they light the road to the entrance still today.
There have been electrical improvements since then and other tracks, including Churchill Downs, have gone to night racing, too, so let’s wish Albuquerque the best.
INCIDENTALLY, I have some great memories of night horse racing in the 1960s at Sunland Park.
Owner Riley Allison and general manager Bob Haynsworth named a thoroughbred “Ray Sanchez” after me. I was racing editor at the El Paso Herald-Post at the time and I guess they thought it would be a good publicity stunt.
The horse was a $1500 claimer and I got kidded a lot. But he turned out to be a pretty good horse. He won at least one race at every track in New Mexico at the time plus one at Juarez Racetrack.
ONE INCREDIBLE night at Sunland Park, Ray Sanchez the horse went off at huge odds and paid $60 to win. The quinella (there were no exactas then) returned $2000 plus.
Needless to say, I always bet Ray Sanchez the horse every time he ran and walked off with both the win and the quinella.
I was so happy I thought I would surprise my wife, Helen. I changed the money into small bills, walked into the house, yelled “surprise” and threw the money in the air.
My wife looked down at the money on the floor, pointed at it and said, “That’s just what we need: A green carpet.”
There went my winnings. Me and my big mouth.