The owners of the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino have announced that Triple Crown races and other operations will be moving to Grand Prairie, Texas, in 2027.
According to a press release issued Thursday, Sept. 3, racetrack owners Johnny and Jana Trotter have “agreed on a framework” with Global Gaming Solutions to move the Quarter Horse Racing Triple Crown Series, the All-American Super Select Sale and the Ruidoso Downs Hall of Fame to Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie.
“This was not an easy decision, but we believe it is the right one,” Ruidoso Downs General Manager Rick Baugh said in a statement. “Lone Star Park has the leadership, the facilities and the visibility to ensure these institutions continue to grow, thrive and reach new racing fans for generations to come.”
Baugh said the fires and subsequent flooding in recent years has caused the organization to take a hard look at “what comes next.” The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, Baugh said.
“The address will change, but what the horsemen in this industry have built will not change,” Baugh said. “To every breeder, owner, trainer, jockey and groom who made the Triple Crown what it is and to the fans who filled these stands, thank you. We are grateful to have been part of it, and we are confident that these traditions will continue to grow at Lone Star Park.”
The Triple Crown Series includes the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity, the $1 million Rainbow Futurity and the $3 million All-American Futurity.
Racing has been absent from the Downs for some time. The 2026 racing season was canceled in January, and the track ceased operations in July after the New Mexico Department of Transportation recommended doing so to address a damaged culvert at the entrance of the track.
