Ruidoso Calendar of Events – All American Futurity in Ruidoso Downs

Do you know which is the world’s richest Quarter Horse race? It’s the $2 million All-American Futurity and its home is right in Ruidoso’s sister city, Ruidoso Downs in Southeast New Mexico. Every Day Labor Day, which is always the first Monday in September, this event is the culmination of another exciting reason at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino. This event which debuted in 1959 with a winning filly named “Galobar”, has been growing strong and gaining continuous momentum ever since this inaugural year. 2008 marks the events Silver Anniversary. Ruidoso Downs Racetrack’s first race was run in the summer of 1947. At that time there was no established racing facility so it literally took hours to prepare for this first race, a race in which locals volunteered to judge the finish. In the late 1940’s this track was little more than a coarsely plowed road with a considerable uphill tilt.

The Birth of the All American Futurity officially began in 1959 when Galobar entered the gates at Ruidoso Downs. Twenty seconds or so later, she became history by becoming the first All American Futurity winner. Total purse for the race was a mere $129,686.85, a considerable sum in the late 1950’s but nowhere near the king’s ransom of today’s two million dollar plus winner’s purse.

1982 marked the first year that the winners of the All American Futurity would become instant millionaires when this total purse reached well over two million dollar level. The instant fame and fortune associated with these instant millions grew this race quickly into what it has become today a premier showcase of racing’s who’s who and most importantly, a steely contest to determine who owns the fastest horse in the world of American Quarter Horse racing.