GARDEN CITY, Idaho — A recent FBI and ICE raid on a horse track in Wilder has cast uncertainty over what participants describe as family-friendly racing events that bring Hispanic communities together.
The raid, which resulted in five arrests and over 100 people being detained for immigration offenses, has left many in Idaho's horse racing community questioning why law enforcement targeted what they characterize as traditional cultural gatherings centered around quarter horse racing.
See what a leading horse breeder says about unsanctioned horse racing events
Having been involved in the horse racing business for nearly 60 years, Edward McNelis has attended several non-sanctioned match race events throughout his career, and he disputes any characterization of these events as dangerous or criminal activities.
"There's a lot of mariachi music, a lot of family, and the kids are there with them, it doesn't matter the size— It's just a giant picnic," McNelis explained of the typical atmosphere.
His description aligns with accounts from attendees of the Wilder event, who emphasized the family-oriented nature of the gatherings.
"It's just a thing we do as a family, go to the races, watch the horse races," says Anabel Romero, who was at the Wilder event. "It's actually the whole family, honestly, everybody knows each other's kids, everyone knows everybody."
These racing events typically feature quarter horses competing in 8 to 10 races per day, according to McNelis. The races are straightaway competitions covering distances between 250 and 400 yards.
"They're just like most quarter horse races. They're a straightaway. Sometimes 250 yards, sometimes 300 or 400 yards," explained McNelis.
McNelis noted that Hispanic horse owners make up a significant portion of participants in these events.
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"I don't know the exact numbers, but I believe that more Hispanics own horses than people like me," McNelis said.
While gambling typically occurs at these events, McNelis describes it as a secondary activity. However, the FBI has indicated the Wilder event involved more organized, cross-state gambling operations.
The scale of the law enforcement response has puzzled longtime racing community members.
"Well, I think most of us are puzzled after years of racing down there— why they decided to raid the place in the manner which I read and people talk about," McNelis said.
He expressed concern for the families who attended the event, expecting a routine cultural gathering.
"People don't want to go through that. They didn't go there anticipating breaking the law; it's just what they've done for years, and that had to be pretty traumatic," McNelis said.
Horse racing insiders report that raids on these types of racing festivals are unprecedented in their experience, making the Wilder incident particularly notable within the community.
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