Global Symposium on Racing Speaker: Ismael "Izzy" Trejo
Mr. Ismael “Izzy” Trejo is entering his 10th year serving as the Executive Director of the New Mexico Racing Commission (NMRC) after being named to that position in March of 2016.
Mr. Trejo, the son of longtime horse trainer Milo Trejo, is a 1995 graduate of the University of Arizona’s Racetrack Industry Program (RTIP). Izzy, as most in the industry know him by, grew up on the backsides of race tracks throughout the United States and Canada. It was there that he initially gained his knowledge as to how the racing game worked. Upon graduation from the RTIP he moved into a long career as a racing official, executive and regulator, having served in a variety of capacities in Arizona, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. His experiences provided him the ability to understand the industry from multiple perspectives including, horsemen, management, horse player, and regulator.
Izzy maintains his accredited senior steward status through ROAP, but as the Executive Director of the NMRC, he is excited to face the everyday challenges of building sustainability, confidence, and integrity in the racing product through regulatory oversight in his home state. The NMRC’s recent efforts are starting to see positive results with a noticeable decline in drug positives.
One facet of the racing industry that is near and dear to him is the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) ministry. He became involved with the RTCA after meeting RTCA founder Salty Roberts at the Symposium on Racing while attending the RTIP in the early 90’s. He previously served on the RTCA National Board and the President’s representative, and he is currently serving in his 23rd year as a council member, having played a role in the opening of a new chapter at the Downs at Albuquerque in 2016.