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 Interactive map of Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino | |
| Location | Sunland Park,New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Owned by | Strategic Gaming Management Gaming and Leisure Properties |
| Date opened | 1959; 67 years ago (1959) |
| Race type | Thoroughbred and quarter horse |
| [[1] Official website] | |
Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino (SPR&C) is aracino located inSunland Park, New Mexico, asuburb in southernNew Mexico. The casino, open 112 hours a week, also offers many electronic table games including roulette, blackjack and Texas Hold 'Em.[1]
Opened in 1959 as aThoroughbred racing track, Sunland Park was the only legalized gambling venue in the region for many years. In 1999, at a time when horse racing was experiencing a decline ascasinos andlotteries became commonplace, New Mexico legislators allowedslot machines at the track. Now with over 700 machines in play, racing at Sunland has benefited greatly, with purses increasing from a $35,000 daily average in the early 1990s to nearly a quarter million per day today.[2]
Sunland Park was the track wherejockeysJerry Bailey,Pat Valenzuela, andCash Asmussen got their starts.Bill Shoemaker, who hails from the area, also rode at Sunland.[2]
On October 15, 2025, Strategic Gaming Management announced that it had completed the purchase of SPR&C for $301 million. Shortly thereafter, the firm sold the real property to thereal estate investment trustGaming and Leisure Properties in a sale-leaseback transaction.[3]
The 2021–22 racing season, which features both Thoroughbreds andQuarter Horses, runs from December 31 through April 3. Live racing is traditionally offered four days each week on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Year-roundSimulcast wagering is also available on racetracks across the country.
The live racing season is highlighted by theSunland Park Derby, run at1+1⁄16 miles for three-year-olds on February 18, 2024. The purse is currently $400,000. The race, which was granted grade 3 status in 2010, is included in theRoad to the Kentucky Derby, awarding 20 points to the winner, 10 to second, 6 to third, 4 to fourth, and 2 to fifth. Prior to 2024, theSunland Park Derby awarded 50–20–15–10–5 points to the 1st thru 5th place finishers respectively, therefore the winner was essentially guaranteed a spot in theKentucky Derby. Also prior to 2024, the race was run about a month later.
Other notable races include the $250,000Sunland Park Oaks, a1+1⁄16-mile Kentucky Oaks prep for fillies; the $200,000 Sunland Park Handicap for three-year-olds and up at1+1⁄8 miles, the $100,000 Harry W. Henson Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile; the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby,6+1⁄2furlongs for three-year-olds, and the $125,000 Mine That Bird Derby, run at1+1⁄8 miles.
The following Graded events were held at Sunland Park in 2025.
Listed
Ungraded Park
Sunlands top quarter horse race is the $350,000 Grade 1 Championship at Sunland Park, run January 2, 2022.[4] The $175,000 added New Mexican Spring Futurity at 300 yards is run April 3, 2022.[5]
31°48′23″N106°33′32″W / 31.806394°N 106.558971°W /31.806394; -106.558971