Leading New Mexico trainer Dominguez dead at 61

Henry Dominguez, a perennial leading trainer in New Mexico who won stakes with such popular horses as Isn’t He Clever, Song of Navarone, and Forest Mouse, has died at 61.

Dominguez died Wednesday in El Paso, Texas, confirmed Kimberly Vanecek, his sister-in-law. A visitation is scheduled for Tuesday from 5-9 p.m. Mountain at Sunset Funeral Home West at 480 North Resler in El Paso. A funeral Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church at 400 W. Sunset Road in El Paso.

Dominguez was a native of El Paso, near Sunland Park in New Mexico. He competed as a jockey from 1974-83, primarily riding Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos. Dominguez began training in 1984, one of four brothers to train horses. Dominguez also bred and owned horses and was a popular figure in the racing community in the Southwest.

“It’s a sad day,” said breeder and owner Kirk Robison. “I’ve been with Henry for 15, 20 years. We had a lot of fun together.

“He’s a good guy. Everyone in New Mexico who knows racing knows Henry. You couldn’t be in New Mexico without knowing Henry.”

Robison long ago put a number of his New Mexico homebreds into Dominguez’s barn at a time when the trainer mostly had open-company horses in his care in the state. The team ended up campaigning multiple New Mexico-bred champions through the years.

Robison and his wife, Judy, had Isn’t He Clever with Dominguez. The Kentucky-bred by Smarty Jones won nine stakes and nearly $1 million. The Robisons raced Wine Police, and Dominguez won multiple stakes with the horse, who also became his first Breeders’ Cup starter, running eighth, beaten 4 3/4 lengths, in the Sprint in 2013.

Forest Mouse, who spent a good portion of his career with Dominguez, retired a millionaire. He won 13 stakes, including the Sunland Park Handicap and the Zia Park Distance Championship.

Song of Navarone won the Sunland Park Derby in 2007.

Dominguez’s friends in racing were far and wide, among them Hall of Fame trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Steve Asmussen.

“Henry is someone I’ve known most of my life,” Asmussen said. “He’s an excellent horseman.”

Kirk Robison echoed the sentiment.

“Henry was dedicated to his craft,” Robison said. “He was one darn good horseman.”

Dominguez won more than 2,000 races during his training career, with 1,875 of those victories coming with Thoroughbreds, according to Daily Racing Form records. He had 9,226 starts with Thoroughbreds, and those horses earned $37.3 million. Dominguez’s last win came last Sunday at SunRay Park, and his last two starters came Monday, both finishing third at Ruidoso Downs.