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Blockbuster Weekend For PDJF and Track Handle Celebration at Ruidoso Downs
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez with Triple Crown winning jockey Mike Smith at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday.

© Gay Harris / Ruidoso Downs
Blockbuster Weekend For PDJF and Track Handle Celebration at Ruidoso Downs

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JULY 10, 2018—More than $25,000 was raised for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) through poster sales on Sunday while the handle for last weekend’s three days of trials to the $1 million Rainbow Futurity and Rainbow Derby was up 27 percent at Ruidoso Downs.

New Mexico native and Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith was at the track for the Mike Smith Victory Celebration on Sunday. He signed posters of Justify completing the Triple Crown with the Belmont Stakes win with Smith aboard. Autographed posters and other significant contributions raised $21,352 while unsigned posters added $3,740. All proceeds go to the PDJF.

Posters will be available for the remainder of the meet in the gift shop with proceeds going to the PDJF.


New Mexico native and Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith raised more nearly $25,000 for the PDJF during an autograph signing session at the Ruidoso Downs last Sunday.
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez presented Smith with a New Mexico flag and a proclamation declaring that July 8th will always be Mike Smith Day in New Mexico. Congressman Steve Pearce gave Smith a United States flag that flew over the United States Capitol. New Mexico State Senate President pro tempore Mary Kay Papen presented Smith with a Senate Memorial.

Ruidoso Downs also had a boisterous weekend with handle for the three racing days reaching $2,337,542, an increase of over 27 percent for last year’s comparable racing week.

"Good trial racing plus Mike Smith Day equal success and we are thankful for the fans and horsemen that made a memorable weekend," Ruidoso Downs’ president and general manager Jeff True said. "Governor Martinez, Congressman Pearce, and Senator Papen made it official with their proclamations and presence. We now look towards the second half of our summer race meeting."

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