RUIDOSO DOWNS — Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino has temporarily ceased all public operations following a safety recommendation from state transportation officials regarding a compromised drainage system at the property’s main entrance.
Track management announced Thursday that it would shutter both the Billy the Kid Casino and its horse racing simulcast wagering operations effective immediately. The decision came after a formal inspection by the New Mexico Department of Transportation revealed severe infrastructure damage to a structural culvert located at the facility’s main entryway.
According to track officials, management initially requested the NMDOT inspection out of an abundance of caution due to recent regional environmental challenges.
In a letter issued to the track, state engineers explicitly recommended blocking off the main entrance to minimize the risk of catastrophic failure to the immediate roadway and ensure public safety.
According to Jonathan Boyle, NMDOT-D2 Bridge Manager, while efforts were being made mitigate the damage, the potential for future flooding risk remains.
“Steel plates placed in the roadway are keeping it from collapsing further,” wrote Boyle in a statement released by the NMDOT, noting a large build-up of debris, cobblestones, and silt which poses potential flooding risks.
The latest suspension of operations at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino marks the most recent setback for a historic venue that has been repeatedly battered by extreme weather.
The track’s vulnerabilities intensified dramatically following the devastating South Fork and Salt wildfires, which scorched more than 25,000 acres. The fires stripped the surrounding Sierra Blanca mountains of vegetation, creating a massive burn scar that turned steep slopes into water slides. Without trees and soil to absorb moisture, even moderate rainfall began triggering dangerous flash floods. Debris flows choked with mud, ash and fallen timber regularly overwhelmed the Rio Ruidoso, which runs directly alongside the racetrack.
In July 2024, flash flooding caused severe damage to the racing surface, barn areas and two critical bridges near the facility’s entrance. The destruction forced track management to cancel marquee races and ultimately relocate the remainder of the 2024 racing season to the Downs at Albuquerque.
Despite extensive off-season cleanup and repairs, catastrophic flooding struck the venue again in July 2025. The 2025 floodwaters destroyed infield structures and portions of the barn area a second time, unleashing flows estimated at 400,000 to 500,000 gallons of water per minute.
An August 2025 analysis by the engineering firm JE Fuller, commissioned by the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security, delivered a grim outlook for the facility’s future.
The report concluded that even minor storms producing just two inches of rain per hour over the fire burn scars could trigger life-threatening debris flows. Hydrologists determined that proposed on-site improvements would only offer modest relief and could not adequately protect the venue.
Citing those safety risks, track owner Johnny Trotter and General Manager Rick Baugh announced that continuing operations at the current site was no longer feasible, forcing the relocation of the entire live racing meet to Albuquerque.
Local officials estimate that comprehensive upstream flood mitigation projects could cost up to $200 million, leaving the future of racing in Ruidoso up in the air.
“The results of the (most recent) investigation have confirmed our decision to temporarily close the casino and horse race simulcast operations to the public,” Baugh said in a statement.
A timeline for the facility’s reopening has not yet been established as structural teams begin evaluating the scope of required repairs. Track officials emphasized that the temporary operational freeze is focused strictly on protecting patrons, employees and horsemen utilizing the vulnerable thoroughfare.