Randall Dee (R.D.) Hubbard, one of the great American entrepreneurs and innovator in the racehorse industry, died on April 29, 2020 at his home in Palm Desert, California, at the age of 84.

“Dee was a man of vision and action and had a major impact on the international quarter horse business from right here at Ruidoso Downs”, stated Stan Sigman, Managing Partner of All American Ruidoso Downs, LLC, owners of Ruidoso Downs. 

 Excelling in two passions in his life, Hubbard bought Ruidoso Downs Race Track in New Mexico in the late 80’s and was a founding member of Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, California 3 decades later. He sold Ruidoso Downs in 2017 and kept his interest in Bighorn Golf Club until the time of his death. An avid golfer, he shot his age in his 70s and 80s.

 Hubbard was highly successful in the horse racing business – both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. When he sold the glass company he built over decades, AFG, it looked like Ruidoso Downs may close. Instead, he bought the track, invested in improvements, and the business at the track was up 30 percent the next year.  

 Quarter horse racing’s premier event, the All American Futurity, was built into a $3 million race and the anchor to a lucrative $8 triple crown series under Hubbard’s leadership and remains so today. It offers the largest purse in quarter horse racing and is the world’s richest two year old horse race. Hubbard subsequently, built and sold The Woodlands racetrack near Kansas City and Zia Park in Hobbs, New Mexico.

 In late 1990, Hubbard headed what turned out to be an intense proxy fight to take over Hollywood Park racetrack in Los Angeles. Hubbard’s group won the proxy fight and the share price eventually rose over 200 percent. He sold his Hollywood Park stock in 2003, but still owned Ruidoso Downs.

 Hubbard also built a large quarter horse and thoroughbred breeding operation with his wife Joan Dale. His breeding operation is at Crystal Springs Farm. It started in Paris, Kentucky and in 2007 was then moved to Tularosa, New Mexico, 35 miles west of Ruidoso Downs.

 Hubbard has owned more than 70 stakes winners and 14 champion quarter horses. His best racehorse was the two-time champion mare Denim N Diamonds, who was in the money in 32 of 35 starts and started a tremendous family through her offspring.

He also owned or co-owned champion and leading sire Stoli, stakes winner and leading sire The Signature, champion Ketel Won, champion Brenda Beautiful, champion Noconi, champion Super Sound Charge, champion My Dashing Lady and stakes winner and Ruidoso Downs track-record setter Planet Holland.

Though he never won the All American Futurity, a primary goal for decades, his horses finished in every position except first.

 In thoroughbred racing Hubbard campaigned more than 25 stakes winners; many with partners. He owned or co-owned Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic winner Gentlemen along with Fire The Groom, Spring House, Corwyn Bay, Ledger Cat and Stravinsky.

 Hubbard and his wife, Joan Dale, formed the R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard Foundation in 1986, which works to "provide improved educational opportunities for students of all ages." He has also founded the Shoemaker Foundation in support of injured horsemen.

 He has been recognized with a number of awards throughout his career, notably the Horatio Alger Award from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in 2014. He also won the John Galbreath Award, NTRA Man of the Year, NTRA Commissioner’s Cup and Financial World Man of the Year. With Joan Dale, they won the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence and Achievement in the Arts.

 He is a member of the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame, Ruidoso Downs’ Racehorse Hall of Fame, was a board member of Breeders’ Cup and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. He co-founded the Racing Integrity and Drug Testing Task Force.

 Hubbard is survived by his wife Joan Dale McLain Hubbard and three children.

Services are pending.