ALBUQUERQUE, NM—JUNE 29, 2021—In response to a lawsuit filed in federal court Monday, the New Mexico Horse Racing Commission has issued the public response below:

NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION
MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM
Governor

SAM BREGMAN
Chairman
DAVID "HOSSIE" SANCHEZ
Vice-Chairman
BILLY G. SMITH
Member
JOHN BUFFINGTON
Member
VACANT
Member
ISMAEL "IZZY" TREJO
Director

June 29, 2021

In response to the recent lawsuit, New Mexico Racing Commission Chairman Sam Bregman said the following:

"The New Mexico Racing Commission caught the New Mexico Horsemen’s Association violating the law by illegally diverting approximately $700,000.00 a year in purses. We are simply enforcing the law and they don’t like it.

It’s truly unfortunate that the New Mexico Horsemen’s Association has chosen to focus on a lawsuit instead of their members’ best interest. The New Mexico Racing Commission is insisting that the New Mexico Horsemen’s Association follow the law and that purses be distributed to the individual horsemen. The New Mexico Racing Commission has stopped the New Mexico Horsemen’s Association’s gravy train of redirecting the purses and the New Mexico Horsemen’s Association have now chosen to spend the horsemen’s money on legal fees. New Mexico horseracing will continue to prosper with or without the New Mexico Horsemen’s Association."

4900 Alameda NE – Suite A
Albuquerque, NM 87113 • (505) 222-0700 • FAX (505) 222-0713
Website • nmrc@state.nm.us

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CLICK HERE to read attachments of the orders from the New Mexico Racing Commission and the New Mexico Gaming Control Board.

CLICK HERE to read letters to NMRC from New Mexico racetracks.