Grants Pass cancels spring meet due to coronavirus

Grants Pass Downs in Oregon has canceled its upcoming meet due to coronavirus, the second that would have taken place under new management, according to a release distributed by the track on Thursday.

The meet was scheduled to begin this year on May 10, and the stable area was expected to open for training in April. Both of those plans have been canceled, according to the statement from Randy Evers, the president of the track. The track was scheduled to run 18 dates, through July 12.

“Grants Pass Downs management explored every possible avenue for continuing with our planned racing schedule,” Evers said. “However, as none of the options aligned with our commitment to the health and safety of our staff, athletes, horsemen and women, racing fans, and our community, it became apparent we had to make this difficult decision.”

Following the closure and sale of Portland Meadows last year, Grants Pass Downs became the only commercial racing operator in the state. The track’s racing license was purchased last year by Travis Boersma, one of the co-founders of Peet’s Coffee and a Grants Pass native.

The holding company set up to run the track reached a deal with the county on a 50-year lease last year. The company then began making renovations to the grounds, in the hopes of running both a late-spring meet and a fall meet this year.

A number of racetracks have canceled their upcoming meets this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, most notably, Keeneland, which would have begun its incredibly popular spring meet next Friday.

Evers said in the statement that the track will explore other opportunities to resurrect the meet late this year.

“As this crisis passes and we have better information about our racing future, we will share details with you,” he said, addressing the state’s horsemen. “We will be exploring all opportunities to honor our summer and fall race meets.”