Junk Back At Ruidoso Downs As Racing Secretary
RUIDOSO DOWNS, (New Mexico) - Robby
Junk, the racing secretary at Ruidoso Downs from 2001-05, returns to
that position for the summer racing season at the New Mexico mountain track that
begins on May 23.
He currently serves as the racing secretary at Turf Paradise in Phoenix and will
be arriving at Ruidoso
Downs on May 1. Joining Junk on the racing office staff will be assistant racing
secretary Roddy Taylor
and longtime New Mexico racing office staffer Maureen Murphy.
"These additions bring proven experience
in New Mexico racing to our Ruidoso Downs team and certainly
will help make this summer season the best ever," said Ruidoso Downs president
Bruce Rimbo.
"I think we'll have, by far, the best stakes schedule for Thoroughbreds and it's
going to be a big summer
for the Quarter Horses with the three Grade 1 futurities and the 50th
anniversary of the All
American Futurity," said Junk. "I really enjoy being in Ruidoso and I think it's
going to be a good experience for everybody."
Junk is one of the most experience racing
officials in the Southwest. In addition to his 5-year tenure at
Ruidoso Downs and six years at Turf Paradise, Junk was the racing secretary for
the inaugural year at Zia Park, at Prescott Downs and on the Arizona fair
circuit. He was also a jockey agent for 10 years. Taylor has served as the
racing secretary at The Downs at Albuquerque and been the assistant racing
secretary at Sunland Park and Ruidoso Downs.
For the past four years he has been a
jockeys agent. This summer's racing season will be historic with the
50th anniversary of the Grade 1, $2 million All American Futurity on Labor Day.
There will be special events throughout the summer commemorating Quarter Horse
racing's showcase event. Leading up to the All American Futurity will be the
Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity and the Grade 1, $625,000 Rainbow Futurity.
This summer promises the return of recently named champion 2-year-old Heartswideopen, winner of the 2007 All American Futurity for owners Javier and Manny Rodriguez. She is expected to make her seasonal debut on the Ruidoso Derby trials on May 24.