Horse racing begins today at Fairgrounds

The Cochise County Horse Races get underway today at the Cochise County Fairgrounds on Leslie Canyon Road. Gates open at noon each day with post time set for 1 p.m. Admission will be $3 per person; racing programs will also cost $3.

Cochise County Fairgrounds Manager Karen Strongin said earlier this week the race track is ready and she expects to have eight to 10 races each of the four days.

Gates open at noon both today and Sunday with the first race to start at 1 p.m.

Admission will be $3 per person; racing programs will also be available for $3.

There will be food and beverage vendors available all four days in addition to pari-mutual betting which will be conducted under the supervision of the Arizona Dept. of Racing. In addition there will be live entertainment daily by Rogelio Ramirez.

Today’s races will feature the Sonoita Derby Trials; on Sunday the John Ray Memorial thoroughbred race will take place.

The horses competing in the races this weekend will be drawn later this week

Next weekend, April 19-20, will  be the El Moro de Cumpas Stakes which will feature three different races.

Strongin said the El Moro de Cumpas races have become really big races for the Cochise County Fairgrounds drawing larger and larger crowds each year.

The Fifth Annual El Moro de Cumpas Stakes, which is a 330-yard race for 3-year olds and up, will take place April 19. This race is sponsored by the Cochise County Fair Association, Strongin said.

“In conjunction with the Graham County Fairgrounds we’re now doing an El Moro de Cumpas Futurity for 2-year olds,” she said. “This is our second year of doing that and we’ll also be having an El Moro de Cumpas Derby which is for 3-year olds.”

Also on April 20 will be the Hasta La Vista Quarter Horse Shootout.