Fall season wraps up first year at Grants Pass Downs

GRANTS PASS, Ore.– Horse racing has come to an end this year with Monday being the final day for southern Oregon’s first fall season.

The races were held at the newly renovated Grants Pass Downs with officials calling this fall season a success.

There were over 140 races completed and n top of that, people and racers came from all over the country to check out the downs.

While official numbers aren’t in, organizers of the races estimate over a million dollars were wagered through just the fall season. That’s more than double what they would make during some of their summer seasons.

While the weather was an initial concern when the season started, it’s been nothing but good times according to down officials.

“It went fantastic. We exceeded a lot of expectations of what we thought was going to happen and we’re super happy with the way the year went,” said Rod Lowe, director of racing for Grants Pass Downs. “We’re looking forward to next year.”

More changes will be coming to the downs in the offseason. The plan is to have soccer fields open by the springtime.

The next season of horse racing is scheduled to begin May 10, 2020. It will run through the middle of July.

A fall season will make a return again next year as well.

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