The New Mexico Racing Commission Board of Stewards has summarily suspended the racing license of quarter horse owner Samuel Valeriano (Valeriano Racing Stable LLC), effective immediately.
A summary suspension hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. Aug. 6. The Downs At Albuquerque racetrack is where the annual Ruidoso race meet has been held. Ruidoso has not had horse racing this year due to damage at the track from the 2025 floods.
A ruling on Valeriano was issued Thursday, July 30, and the suspension stems from an NMRC investigation based on a USDA report received July 16. Stewards determined that Valeriano’s alleged conduct constitutes “an immediate danger to the public health, safety, integrity and welfare of the horseracing industry.” The ruling cites conduct detrimental to racing under New Mexico Rule 15.2.1.9.A.(3).
The USDA’s report alleged that backstretch employees used the same needles to inject horses with an illegal medication. The USDA concluded that using the same needles to inject several horses led to an outbreak of EIA positives.
The order further states that, during the suspension, all horses owned by Valeriano or in partnership with him that have started in his name or under Valeriano Racing Stable LLC are to be placed on the stewards’ list. Those horses are denied entry, participation, transfer and sale until the case has been adjudicated. Valeriano is also excluded from all areas of the racetrack under the jurisdiction of the New Mexico Racing Commission.
Suspension comes at a pivotal time
The trials for three of the meet’s biggest races — the All American Derby, the All American Oaks and the All American Futurity — are scheduled for Aug. 7-9 and entries are expected to be taken this weekend for those races.
The finals for the three All American races are Sept. 6-7.
Valeriano-owned Toby Sis won the Rainbow Oaks on July 11 at Albuquerque. On the same day, Jarvis V and Hitman V, trained by Valerio for Valeriano, finished second and eighth in the Rainbow Derby.
El Huracano V, a horse owned by Valeriano, won the $1 million Rainbow Futurity on July 12.
All of those Valeriano horses likely would have been entered in the All American trials.
The All American Oaks is for 3-year-old quarter horse fillies, the All American Derby is for 3-year-old quarter horses for males or females and the All American Futurity is for 2-year-old quarter horses.
Valeriano’s horses have earned more than $1.9 million in 2026 and won 19 races, according to Equibase, which keeps horse racing stats. Valeriano first ran horses in 2013 and his horses have earned him nearly $14.8 million.
Samuel Valeriano given temporary restraining order
Valeriano was given a temporary restraining order late Friday afternoon, July 31, temporarily prohibiting the New Mexico Racing Commission from enforcing part of the ruling that prohibits horses owned by, or in partnership with, Valeriano from entering races or being transferred or sold.
The temporary restraining order will end Aug. 6 unless the court extends it. Lincoln County District Court Judge John P. Sugg in New Mexico issued the TRO.
In granting the emergency relief, Judge Sugg wrote that delaying relief until the Aug. 6 hearing would cause irreparable harm because several of Valeriano’s horses would miss entry deadlines for the All American Futurity and All American Derby trials, opportunities that cannot be re-run, the purse cannot be recovered, and the horse’s racing condition cannot be restored.
The order states that it does not prevent the summary suspension hearing set for August 6 from proceeding.
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Top quarter horse owner suspended by New Mexico racing stewards
Reporting by Felix F. Chavez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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By Felix F. Chavez, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
