opened in 1959 as a thoroughbred racing track, sunland park was the only legalized gambling venue in the region for many years. in 1999, at a time when horse racing was experiencing a decline as casinos and lotteries became commonplace, new mexico legislators allowed slot machines at the track. now with over 700 machines in play, racing at sunland has benefited greatly, with purses increasing from a $35,000 daily average in the early 1990s to nearly a quarter million per day today.