Changes for Land of Enchantment card

Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M., will open its meet later than usual on Saturday and with a makeover of its Land of Enchantment program, which annually features its richest offerings for Thoroughbreds. The 53-date meet also includes Quarter Horse racing, and runs through Dec. 19.

Zia has opened the first week in September in the past, and is opening later this year to reduce a 12- to 13-day overlap with the Downs at Albuquerque, said Matt Crawford, manager of racing operations for Zia.

Crawford said it has made a difference at the entry box, particularly in races for Thoroughbreds.

“We’ve had some full fields for our first days of Thoroughbred racing,” he said of the all-Thoroughbred cards Monday and Tuesday.

Zia also is running Saturdays and Sundays.

The biggest exception to the calendar will be the Wednesday Land of Enchantment card on Nov. 21. The Land of Enchantment program has traditionally been run the day before Thanksgiving, and that will again be the case.

The Land of Enchantment card will feature seven Thoroughbred stakes worth a total of $950,000. Last year, the card was made up of six stakes for Thoroughbreds and three for Quarter Horses, and it was worth $1.1 million. Crawford has moved the Quarter Horse stakes to a separate showcase program on Dec. 2. In all, that card will feature five stakes for Quarter Horses.

The co-features for the Land of Enchantment card will be the $250,000 Zia Park Oaks and the $250,000 Zia Park Derby, with the track moving $50,000 from the Oaks – previously worth $300,000 – to the purse of the derby.

“We wanted them equal,” said Crawford.

Zia also moved a pair of 2-year-old stakes to the card, with the Princess and Juvenile both at six furlongs and each worth $50,000. Crawford said the purses for the Sprint and Distaff have been boosted from $75,000 to $100,000. The card also includes the $150,000 Distance Championship.

“I look for super handle this year,” Crawford said.

Crawford said the card will also have an earlier start time, with a first post of 11:30 a.m. Mountain.

Other major cards for the meet include the New Mexico Cup program of 12 stakes restricted to horses bred in New Mexico. It will be held Nov. 4.

“It’s the most money [New Mexico-breds] run for on one day, anywhere in the state,” said Crawford.

Crawford said overnight purses for the meet are projected to average $210,000 a program, up from last year. He said that figure does not include the $2.7 million in stakes on offer this meet at Zia. Crawford said slots revenues have been strong at the track, which operates a casino of 750 machines.

“I look for us to have a real good meet, especially with the purses up,” said Crawford.

He said there are some new faces in the trainer ranks, with some stables shipping in from Texas.