• Severe flooding at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino caused damage and panicked horses.
• Jockey Edwin Escobedo and friends helped rescue horses, leading them to higher ground.
• Trainers and staff worked together to shelter horses in unaffected barns.
• The racing community came together to manage the crisis and care for the horses.

Jockey Edwin Escobedo is grateful that he was able to help his fellow horsemen and their horses at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino.

The devastating flash flood in Ruidoso on Tuesday afternoon severely damaged the racetrack, the jockeys’ room and the horse stall area on the backside. The flood of water from the river that runs through the track property also caused horses to panic and get loose.

Escobedo, a 23-year-old jockey from Tulsa, Oklahoma, along with three friends, were on a pleasure ride on their pony horses at nearby Grindstone Lake Trail in Ruidoso when it began to rain. They eventually got back on track, as the severe flooding was beginning to take place.

“It was tough to see what was happening; it happened so fast,” Escobedo said. “Thankfully, we had our ponies, and they held up well; they did an amazing job. So many people stepped up and helped out the situation. So many people were affected, the track is in tough shape.”

Escobedo and his friends went to the barn of Marc Jungers, a barn Escobedo rides for at the races.

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Escobedo and his friends helped calm the racehorses and get them to higher ground at the track’s sales barn, where they could be safely housed.

Images from the track showed horses running wildly through the stable area, looking to escape the fast-rising waters. Other images showeda horse standing in deep water in their enclosed stable stalls.

One trainer, whose private barn sits above the race track, said his staff was able to house 18 horses forced out of their flooded regular stalls.

Trainer Albert Franco: ‘The water was roaring’

Franco, 48, has worked with fellow trainer Brad Bolen for seven years. He said Tuesday’s flash flood was hard on everyone, but he said what he witnessed was people caring and coming together.

“The water just came at us so fast,” Franco said. “We had to be cautious, but the focus was on the horses and helping them. It was chaotic, but people stayed calm.

“The water was roaring. Trainers were helping other barns. Our staff did a great job of helping in the situation. I’ve been in this business my whole life, this was tough as it gets. Ruidoso is a great place and horse racing is important to the community.

Caring for grooms, horses

Jimmy Barton, a part-owner of Lethal Cowboy 123, who qualified for Saturday’s Rainbow Derby, said he expects horses at the track will be moved to nearby farms or training centers.

His trainer, Marc Jungers, and his wife, Carl, were providing Barton updates on the Ruidoso flood.

“Everybody was helping each other and trying to help each other,” Barton said. “We’re trying to make sure grooms and other support staff in the barn have what they need in terms of food and clothes.”

Barton said his trainer may take his horses to Horseman’s Park in nearby Tularosa, where there are stalls for horses and could be a destination point for other trainers.

New Ruidoso flood damage to repaired track

Last year’s multiple floods in Ruidoso damaged the racetrack, the jockey quarters and the backside, where the horses are housed.

Crews removed a total of 250,000 yards of debris from the property and installed a new retention system, which allows the river to flow under the track through culverts to a large retention pond. Officials were hopeful this would be enough to manage future flooding events.

Nearly $17 million from FEMA and an additional $12 million spent by the track ownership were allocated to prepare the track for the 2025 season. The jockeys’ room alone had four feet of flood water, but had a fresh new look when the current racing season started May 23.

Officials with the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino issued this statement:

Statement from Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino: “We want to start out this morning by saying thank you to all those that have reached out and checked in our property, team members and animals. Due to the severity of the flood waters, we are currently assessing all damages to best determine the next steps. Safety is our top priority and what we will focus on today as we work towards a plan. We will continue to post on social media and our website as details come available. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected and serve as a reminder that we are stronger together.”

This is a developing story; check back for updates.

Felix F. Chavez can be reached at [email protected]; @Fchavezeptimes on X

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