Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship purse boosted to $100,000

The purse of the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship has been raised from $60,000 to $100,000 and will be the showcase race for older Thoroughbreds at the New Mexico track this summer.

Ruidoso Downs general manager Shaun Hubbard said on Tuesday that the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship will be run on Sept. 7, Labor Day, as part of a program that includes the $3 million-estimated All American Futurity for Quarter Horses.

The race will be run at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds and older horses. Hubbard said there has been demand for a six-figure race for Thoroughbreds at Ruidoso.

“We’re listening to the horsemen here,” he said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I think it will really add to an already spectacular weekend at the end of the year.”

Last year, the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Championship was won by Ol Winedrinker Who, his fifth career stakes win.