Grants Pass Downs Out of the Gate for Fall Meet

GRANTS PASS, Ore., Sept. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Grants Pass Downs, Oregon's premier horse racing track, kicks off its fall racing season today at 4:00 p.m. with an 8-race program. The highlight of the opening day card comes in the seventh race, the Applegate Stakes. The five-furlong event features a full field of 10 thoroughbreds competing for a purse of $13,000. Originally scheduled to begin September 14, the meet was delayed a week due to the hazardous air quality from Oregon's historic wildfires. The Fall 2020 meet will now span eight weeks of racing across 16 dates – every Monday and Tuesday through November 10 – and pay out more than $1 million in total purses for an average of over $60,000 each racing day.

Other highlights of the meet includes the exclusive Luckii Sprint Series, a three-race event that will be held October 5, 19 and November 3 with a $15,000 added purse on the line, and the Oregon Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association (OTOBA)-sponsored Oregon Championship Day on November 2. OCD 2020 will feature a full day of Oregon-bred Stakes races. In total, 20 stakes races are scheduled during the fall meet – 16 thoroughbred and four quarter horse.

In accordance with recommendations from public health officials, COVID-19 protocols are once again in effect for the fall meet. A limited amount of fans will be permitted on-site on racing days, and are encouraged to purchase their tickets online via the Grants Pass Downs website to secure a seat in the grandstands. All spectators will need to check in at the front gate when they arrive so track staff can ensure attendance numbers are kept in compliance with health and safety regulations.  

"We're beyond excited to be able to welcome a limited number of fans back into the grandstands this fall for live racing action, and look forward to building on a highly successful summer meet," said Randy Evers, president of Grants Pass Downs. "Our team has worked incredibly hard to create a safe environment for fans, our athletes, the horsemen and staff, and we're ready to kick off another outstanding season of racing."

Fans unable to attend the meet in person are encouraged to watch and wager through TVG Network and other advance-deposit wagering (ADW) websites, as well as participating off-track betting locations around the state. A list of participating ADW sites is available on Grants Pass Downs' website at https://gpdowns.com/wagering/.

ABOUT GRANTS PASS DOWNS
Located at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, Grants Pass Downs has hosted live pari-mutuel horse racing since 1968 and is now home to the largest race meet in the state of Oregon. More information about Grants Pass Downs can be found at www.gpdowns.com.

Media Contact:
Pete Johnson, Finn Partners
pete.johnson@finnpartners.com
(503) 546-7880

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SOURCE Grants Pass Downs