Ruidoso Downs Race Track Announces 2022 Hall of Fame Class
Ruidoso Downs Race Track Announces
2022 Hall of Fame Class
RUIDOSO DOWNS, N.M. (January 31, 2022) — Ruidoso Downs Race Track will induct five individuals and one racehorse into the Hall of Fame during ceremonies scheduled during the upcoming racing season that begins May 27.
“The list of new inductees is incredibly strong,” said Walt Wiggins Jr., a board member of the All American Ruidoso Downs Foundation. “These new members of the Hall of Fame that will be inducted this summer each deserve their recognition and honor. Our board is very proud of this year’s class and each individual selection.”
Members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will be honored at a banquet to be held on Friday, July 8 at Ruidoso Downs Race Track. Tickets will go on sale for the banquet in the spring.
Here are the members of this year’s class of inductees:
FIRST MOONFLASH
The 2009 AQHA Racing Champion Aged Stallion, First Moonflash won 14 of 25 lifetime starts, $969,828 and 10 major stakes races. First Moonflash also set four World Records, including the current 440-yard world record of 20.274 seconds. Bred by Dosi and Norma Alvarez, he raced for the partnership of Amestoy, Abraham, Gonzales and Vaerl. He stood his entire career at W.L. Moorings Double LL Farm in Bosque, New Mexico
Now deceased, First Moonflash has sired 10 crops of racing age, 27 graded stakes winners and earners of more than $22,700,000. His leading performing offspring include millionaires Flash And Roll ($1,710,700), Handsome Jack Flash ($1,517,000) and Too Flash For You ($1,065,000).
In 2021, the First Moonflash-sired yearling, First Texas Flash, sold for $800,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale for the highest price ever paid at public auction for a quarter horse yearling.
GWENDOLYN EAVES
The late Gwendolyn Eaves, on her own and later in the family partnership of Eaves Horses, bred numerous stakes-winning quarter horses and earned more than $7,785,000. Among the many stakes winners from her breeding program are A Delightful Dasher, 1999 All American Futurity winner and stakes winner of $1,660,525; Hes My Dasher, 1998 Rainbow Futurity winner and stakes winner of $575,774; Tres Seis, 2001 All American Futurity runner-up and stakes winner of $856,901; Inseparable, 2008 Rainbow Futurity winner and stakes winner of $672,756; Dean Miracle, 1996 Rainbow Futurity runner-up and stakes winner of $199,000; and Fortune Of Delight, the AQHA’s 1999 “Broodmare of the Year,” producer of five stakes winners and earners of $2,871,000. She also raced champion and Ruidoso Downs stakes winner Special Phoebe.
A New Mexico native, Mrs. Eaves and her husband, the late Harry Eaves, lived in Hobbs, New Mexico, for many years. She bought her first racehorse in 1960.
FRED DANLEY
The 79-year-old active trainer is one of the most recognized and respected horsemen in New Mexico horse racing history. In 1961 at the age of 18, Danley got his trainer’s license. By 1963, he had won the Kansas Futurity (now named the Ruidoso Futurity). The following year, he trained Merry Go: the fastest qualifier to the 1964 All American Futurity.
A versatile trainer of both quarter horses and thoroughbreds, Danley-trained quarter horses have won more than 1,550 races and earned $20,315,000. His thoroughbred starters have won more than 1,460 races and earned $17,529,375. He is currently ranked the 15th All-Time Leading Trainer of Quarter Horse money-earners.
The many top stakes winners trained by Danley include Gotta Get (quarter horse earnings of $972,834); Romeos Wilson (thoroughbred earnings of $868,883); Rustys Miracle (quarter horse earnings of $762,565); Namehimastreaker (quarter horse earnings of $627,649); Shemoveslikeaghost (thoroughbred earnings of $582,486); and Gun Battle (quarter horse earnings of $668,781).
GARY SUMPTER
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Gary Sumpter was widely recognized as one of the leading jockeys at Ruidoso Downs and throughout the Southwest regional racing circuit. In 1979, he was the leading rider of the meet at Ruidoso Downs. During this period, he was the leading rider at Sunland Park four times.
Born in Cheyenne, Oklahoma, Sumpter enjoyed success riding both quarter horses and thoroughbreds. During his active years as a race rider from 1973 to 1991, his quarter horse mounts won 739 races and more than $9,978,000, while his thoroughbred starters earned more than $1,380,000.
In 1976, Sumpter won the All American Futurity riding Real Wind. In 1977, he won the All American Derby and the Kansas Derby riding My Easy Credit. In 1990, he won the same two derbies aboard Special Project. Other memorable stakes winners ridden by Sumpter during his long career include Sail On Bunny, Real Easy Jet, Nevada Phil, Bartonville, Jet Comanche, Copper Case, Native Creek, and Sages Belle Star.
STEVE ASMUSSSEN
Born in 1965 to Keith and Marilyn Asmussen, Steve grew up on the backside of race tracks, including Ruidoso Downs. His parents were both well-known as a jockey and trainer, respectfully. At Ruidoso Downs in the summer of 1986 (a year after graduating high school), Asmussen won his first race as a trainer. A year later, he won his first stakes race. Ten years later, he won his first Grade 1 stakes race.
Today, Asmussen is recognized as the all-time leading trainer of thoroughbreds, having won 9,592 races from 46,825 starts. The combined earnings of all the racehorses he has trained totals in excess of $375,311,400. He has been honored in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He has trained three different “Horse of the Year” recipients, including Gun Runner ($15,900,00), Curlin ($10,500,000) and Rachel Alexander ($3,500,000). Additionally, he has trained many champions, including Midnight Bisou ($7,400,000), Untappable ($3,900,000) and Mitole ($3,100,000).
Ruidoso Downs is proud of Steve’s career achievements and that his career path in the horse racing industry started locally.
WALT WIGGINS SR.
The late Walt Wiggins Sr. was an integral part of the staff and management of Ruidoso Downs during its formative years, between 1959 and 1969. He was hired by Ruidoso Downs owner Gene Hensley in the fall of 1959, following the first running of the All American Futurity and which Wiggins covered for Sports Illustrated. At the time, Wiggins was recognized worldwide as one of the leading photojournalists of that era.
It was during Wiggins’ tenure that the Kansas Futurity was relocated to Ruidoso Downs and the Rainbow Futurity was conceived, resulting in the creation of the now-famous Ruidoso Downs Triple Crown racing series. The All American Yearling Sale was also established in these years, with Wiggins serving as one of the original directors of the sale company. By 1966, the fast-growing All American Futurity was the world’s richest horse race, receiving worldwide coverage on the major networks of NBC, ABC and CBS, plus coverage in countless newspapers and magazines.
In 1969, Wiggins left Ruidoso Downs to establish the Quarter Racing World publication, which later became Speedhorse Magazine. He authored several books, including “The Great American Speedhorse,” “Cockleburs and Cow Chips,” “Go Man Go” and “Fifteen Years of Adventure.” At the time of his passing in 1992, Walt operated Wiggins Fine Art Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife Roynel and son Kim.
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