
Arbitrator Orders Turf Paradise Lockout Lifted; Permit Suspension Leaves Uncertainty
PHOENIX, AZ—October 17, 2026

PHOENIX, AZ—October 17, 2026

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—October 17, 2026
Gamaliel Garza Garcia, a Quarter Horse owner who spent nearly half a million dollars at the Los Alamitos Equine Sale in California earlier this month, has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for his connection to the U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Cartel del Noreste (CDN).

ROCK SPRINGS, WY—October 16, 2026
Global Gaming Solutions moved closer to adding Sweetwater Downs to its racing operations Friday when the Wyoming Gaming Commission approved the transfer of Wyoming Horse Racing LLC’s live-event and simulcasting permits to a subsidiary of the company.

PHOENIX, AZ—October 16, 2026
According to a memo sent by Leroy Gessmann, executive director of the AHPBA, and President Bob Budoff, the association’s Board of Directors will await an arbitrator’s ruling before taking further action regarding the lockout at Turf Paradise, which has halted off-track betting operations and left preparations for the upcoming race meet uncertain.

DALLAS, TX—October 15, 2026
StallioneSearch.com previews Saturday night’s AQHA Challenge Championships at The Downs at Albuquerque in Episode 83 of the QH Racing Talk–Weekly podcast, exploring the event’s history and analyzing the five AQHA stakes races on the championship card.

AMARILLO, TX—October 15, 2026
For students with big goals and dreams for the future, scholarship opportunities can help make the journey possible.

ROCK SPRINGS, WY—October 13, 2026
Sweetwater Downs closed out the 2026 Wyoming racing season with record-setting prize money highlighted by the richest race in Wyoming history, the $300,000 Sweetwater Downs Futurity.

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—October 12, 2026
For owners, breeders, and trainers looking to campaign top-tier juveniles in 2027, Los Alamitos Race Course will continue to be among the premier destinations for elite Quarter Horse racing. With three million-dollar futurities returning in the upcoming racing calendar, now is also a great time to set your plans, review important late payment deadlines, and plan for what promises to be an action-packed season of rich futurities here in 2027.

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—October 11, 2026
The Quarter Horse racing industry lost one of its greatest champions Saturday night when Empressum SI 111, the eight-year-old World Champion and earner of more than $2.7 million, suffered a fatal injury during the $100,000 Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course.

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—October 11, 2026
StallioneSearch.com opened its weekend webcast coverage from Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, with highlights from the 2026 Dash for Cash Futurity (G2) and Dash for Cash Derby (G2).

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—October 11, 2026
StallioneSearch.com concludes its weekend webcast coverage from Lone Star Park with highlights from the 2026 Dash for Cash Derby (G2). Royalist backed up his qualifying effort with a strong closing run to win the $168,400 final Saturday night. The 3-year-old colt completed the 440 yards in :21.376 over a fast track, earning a 98 speed index.

PHOENIX, AZ—October 10, 2026
The turmoil at Turf Paradise escalated Saturday when racetrack owner Jerry Simms reportedly locked Gary Hartunian’s Skyfall 7 management team out of its offices at the Phoenix facility, raising further concerns about the upcoming racing season.

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—October 9, 2026
All American Ruidoso Downs (AARD) and Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie are working toward a framework agreement that could reshape the future of Quarter Horse racing's prestigious All American Triple Crown series, according to a special announcement published Friday.

AFTON, OK—October 9, 2026
James Fuser, chairman of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission (OHRC) and a longtime advocate for Oklahoma agriculture and horse racing, died Thursday, October 8, following a single-vehicle accident in Ottawa County. He was 77.

DALLAS, TX—October 8, 2026
Two-time All American Futurity (G1) winning co-owner Jolene Urschel of Canadian, Texas, joins Greg Thompson on the QH Racing Talk Weekly podcast to revisit a remarkable run of classic victories that culminated in the Triple Crown.

TULANCINGO, HIDALGO, MEX—October 8, 2026
Shake The Bank, an AQHA champion and multiple champion in Mexico whose legacy spans generations of stakes winners, producing mares and sires, died Wednesday of natural causes. She was 33.

ELGIN, TX—October 7, 2026
Nominations for the $200,000-added 2027 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1) are due November 1, according to the Texas Quarter Horse Association.

ALEXANDRIA, LA—October 7, 2026
The Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association (LQHBA) is accepting nominations for its Hall of Fame, with completed nomination information due by Monday, February 1, 2027.

EUREKA, KS—October 7, 2026
Eureka Downs has released its 2026 Rules Book, providing horsemen with detailed policies and procedures for the upcoming inaugural race meet in Eureka, Kansas, General Manager Mike Weiss announced.

PHOENIX, AZ—October 7, 2026
Turf Paradise is facing a leadership change less than two months before its scheduled November 27 opening, following the departure of president and general manager Tom Ludt, according to an article written by Horse Racing Nation.