SUNLAND PARK, NM—FEBRUARY 18, 2021—According to an article by Felix Chavez published on the El Paso Times website today the 2020-21 horse racing meet at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino has been officially canceled.

A motion to cancel the meet was passed in a monthly meeting of the New Mexico Racing Commission.

The 20-21 meet had been scheduled to start Dec. 26th and turn March 30, featuring 47 days of racing.

On March 15, 2020, the racetrack and casino shut down and the rest of last year's meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The racetrack's casino has been shuttered for almost a year, last opening in March 2020.

Casinos at racetracks in Albuquerque, Hobbs, Ruidoso and Farmington also remained closed in 2020. Ruidoso finished its summer racing meet last September, while Albuquerque and Zia finished their meets in the fall with reduced days and purses.

According to the NMRC website, Ruidoso Race Track and Casino, SunRay Park in Farmington, The Downs at Albuquerque and Zia Park in Hobbs all have race dates scheduled for 2021 but those dates could be up in the air if the casinos do not open.

Several trainers, jockeys and owners were forced to take their stables elsewhere this winter as horse racing had stalled at Sunland Park. Among the tracks where they have gone are Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona, Sam Houston Park in Houston and Remington Park in Oklahoma City will open in March.