The final race of the fall meet at Grants Pass Downs Nov. 9 was declared a "no contest" by stewards after the lights turned off just 10 seconds into the late-evening race. Two jockeys, Alex Anaya and Patrick Henry Jr., were unseated and experienced minor injuries, according to a representative from the track.
The competing horses were uninjured, according to Grants Pass Downs president Randy Evers. He said the riders had foot injuries, one also with body soreness.
Grants Pass Downs announcer Jason Beem, tweeted Tuesday night that the race was "absolutely terrifying." In calling the race, he exclaimed, "The lights just went off ... I've got no clue what's going on and hopefully everybody is staying safe out there, because we can't see a thing.
"Unbelievable," he added, with agitation in his voice.
Evers declined to comment on why the lights shut off, citing legal considerations and an ongoing review. He forwarded a statement that read, in part, that Grants Pass Downs takes "our commitment to horse racing and equine community seriously and will consult experts as needed to ensure our races meet the highest standards we've set for ourselves."
The Oregon track's meet ran from Sept. 20 through last evening. With the race declared a "no contest," wagers were refunded and payoffs issued to bettors holding live multi-race tickets into the closing race.
