Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico is planning to open its 2020 meeting on May 22 as planned and will begin accepting horses on its backside beginning Friday, the track announced Tuesday. Although a handful of tracks have remained open during the disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic by holding races behind closed doors, Ruidoso would be the first racetrack to open its doors since mid-March, when the potential spread of the virus led to nearly every major sporting event being canceled. In a press release, Ruidoso said it would conduct racing spectator-free and that the only people allowed ontrack would be licensed trainers, jockeys, and track officials. Although the stable area will open on Friday, “trainers will bring in horses through an appointment calendar in order to throttle the number of horses coming in at one time and to allow for proper social distancing while unloading,” the track said. “We have taken the first step towards a recovery, and we are being very diligent about our protocols,” said Jeff True, president and general manager of Ruidoso Downs. “Our first priority is providing a safe environment for everyone, and that will require everyone’s cooperation.” :: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter True said in the release that the re-opening had been endorsed by New Mexico Michelle Lujan Grisham. The protocols being used by Ruidoso to get horses into its stable area and to conduct racing spectator-free are similar to protocols circulated by racetracks in other jurisdictions as they seek to get a government okay to resume or begin racing. There are six tracks currently running in the United States, and those tracks have all seen sharp increases in handle compared to their normal totals. Two of those tracks, Fonner Park in Nebraska and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida, have been approved for additional days. New Mexico is currently operating under a directive to limit mass gatherings, but that directive will expire May 15, though it will almost certainly be reviewed in the days leading up to the expiration. Ruidoso said that track officials “will work in accordance with both state and local governments on how to re-open to the public.” There are currently no plans to re-open a casino attached to the track. The Ruidoso Downs meet is scheduled to run from May 22 through Sept. 7, racing largely on a Saturday and Sunday schedule. The meet’s bread-and-butter is Quarter Horse racing, but the track also cards races for Thoroughbreds.