Horse racing at Arizona's Rillito Park canceled for second straight year

For the second year in a row, Pima County has canceled all horse racing at Rillito Park. The 2024 season was canceled due to financial problems. The 2025 season was canceled because of an issue with the racing commission.

The county tried to find a new operator for the track but the process was allegedly affected by the racing commission, causing the county to stop the races. The county didn't have enough time to issue another request for proposal and be fair to all bidders.

“Unfortunately, this time we couldn’t ensure the process was fair and transparent, so we had to cancel it,” said Victor Pereira, the Pima County Parks Director. “We plan to try again later.”

In the meantime, the county will inspect the track to see if it can meet new safety standards.

Rillito Park is a small track with little profit, which is why past operators have left. Finding the right person to run the track will depend on commitment.

Rillito Park has hosted quarter horse racing for 80 years. It was the first place to use the photo finish and is part of Tucson’s western tradition.