Sunland Park Racetrack, Casino celebrate beginning of new racing season

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino will open its 2026 horse racing season Friday with a revised schedule, marquee events and optimism fueled by new ownership and a landmark property sale.

Eric Alwan, Sunland Park Racetrack announcer, said the track continues to defy expectations after decades of change and challenge.

“I have been lucky to be a part of Sunland Park for a very, very long time,” Alwan said. “About 15 years ago, someone quoted me saying Sunland Park was like a rising phoenix, and it turns out that was right. Sunland Park is still rising.”

The operating portion of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino was sold about three months ago for $301 million.

Alwan says it was one of the most expensive property sales in the region. He added that the sale and new leadership mark another turning point for the historic track.

Racing will run on a Friday through Monday schedule, with quarter horse racing on Fridays and Saturdays and thoroughbred racing on Sundays and Mondays.

Races will begin each day at 12:25 p.m., and the season will feature 55 race days running through April 5.

Dustin Dix, director of racing operations at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino, said the season structure allows the track to maintain one of the longest racing calendars in New Mexico.

“We are kicking off our racing season this Friday,” Dix said. “Our big event is the Sunland Derby on February 15, and it works out great being the first Sunday after the Super Bowl.”

The Sunland Derby will carry a purse of $500,000 this year.

While the race is not graded, it still offers qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby.

Dix said the race was moved to an earlier February date to give horses more opportunity to accumulate points on the road to Churchill Downs.

“It gives trainers a chance to keep building points after our race,” Dix said. "We have seen horses come from Sunland and go on to win major races and qualify for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.”

Sunland Park has a long history of producing Derby contenders, including Mine That Bird, who ran at Sunland before winning the 2009 Kentucky Derby at 50 to 1 odds.

Horse trainer Jason Giles said Sunland Park remains an ideal winter base for trainers and horses from across the region.

“It is really good weather in the winter and a safe, nice place to be,” Giles said. “It is a good home base for us, and the environment here is great for getting young horses ready to race.”

Giles said preparing a young horse for competition can take six months or more, making a stable and predictable racing season critical for trainers and owners.

Dix said the industry has changed over the years, with fewer trainers and horses overall, but stronger competition at major events.

“Our big events have gotten bigger and bigger,” Dix said. “The Sunland Derby has grown into a huge event for this community, and that growth is a big part of what excites us about this season.”

Alwan said the track’s ability to survive shutdowns, economic shifts and industry challenges underscores its resilience.

“Sunland Park is the ultimate survivor,” Alwan said. “When you look at everything it has been through and where it is now, that sales price and this season say it all. Sunland Park is still rising.”