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Dinerman to Announce at Grants Pass

Matt Dinerman will announce the races at Grants Pass Downs for the final five days of the track's 2021 spring/summer meet. Dinerman, the voice of Golden Gate Fields, is filling in for Jason Beem, who begins his term as track announcer at Tampa Bay Downs this week.

“I'm really excited to pinch-hit for Jason Beem at Grants Pass Downs,” Dinerman said. “It's fun to call races at a new venue and equally enjoyable to meet new people who share the same passion in horse racing.”

One of the races Dinerman will call is the $90,000 Firecracker Futurity July 4. The Futurity is the richest race in the history of Grants Pass Downs. The track's closing day is July 6.

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Dinerman To Serve As Announcer For Final Days of Grants Pass Downs’ Spring Meet

Matt Dinerman has been hired as track announcer for the remaining five days of the 2021 spring/summer meet at Grants Pass Downs.

The voice of Golden Gate Fields, the youthful Dinerman is filling in for Jason Beem, who this week begins his new job as track announcer at Tampa Bay Downs.

Dinerman, 28, has announced at Golden Gate since December 2017 and previously called races at Emerald Downs, where he was hired as the track's full-time announcer at age 22.

A San Diego native, Dinerman interned at Del Mar in 2012, assisting the track's media relations staff and practicing announcing as time allowed. The personable announcer can often be found mornings in the stable area, where he enjoys meeting horsemen and getting to know the horses.

One of the races Dinerman will call is the $90,000 Firecracker Futurity on Sunday, July 4, which marks the richest race in the history of Grants Pass Downs.

Remaining live racing dates: Monday, June 28, 5:15 p.m.; Tuesday, June 29, 5:15 p.m.; Sunday, July 4, 1 p.m.; Monday, July 5, 5:15 p.m.; Tuesday, July 6, 5:15 p.m.

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Three of Four Oregon Fairs Now a ‘Go’

One of Oregon's four mixed-meet racing fairs has dropped out of the rotation for this summer. The manager of the Harney County Fair in Burns told the Oregon Racing Commission (ORC) May 20 the track won't be running July 24 and 25, but that the fair's management wants to improve its focus on racing so the meet can resume in 2022 after a two-year hiatus.

Last year none of the Oregon fairs raced because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state's lone commercial track, Grants Pass Downs, has been in action since May 10, and meets are to follow at Eastern Oregon Livestock Show in Union (June 11-13), Crooked River Roundup in Prineville (July 14-17), and Tillamook County Fair in Tillamook (Aug. 11-14).

ORC executive director Jack McGrail said that as coronavirus restrictions ease, those venues could be racing in front of full-capacity crowds by the summer.

Jordon Bennett, the fair manager for Harney County, thanked commissioners for the work they had put into trying to get Harney up and running, including by providing the fairs circuit tracks with additional operations funding. As of last month's ORC meeting, Harney had intended to race in 2021.

In turn, commission members thanked Bennett for his candid remarks on how Harney can do better next year.

“I feel as if horse racing here has been kind of haphazard,” Bennett admitted to the board. “We haven't given our full effort, which is something I'm trying to work on. So we're trying to get all of our ducks in a row for 2022…. We're committed. We just want to make sure we do it right.”

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Grants Pass Downs Generates Record Handle On Opening Day Card

El Alto Hombre swept past Pure Pursuit into the stretch and rolled to a 2 ¼-length victory Monday in the inaugural running of the $12,000 Caveman Stakes for 3-year-olds and up on opening night at Grants Pass Downs.

Ridden by Jose Figueroa at 126 lbs, El Alto Hombre ran five furlongs in :58.45 seconds and paid $9.20 as the second choice in the wagering.

Trained by Liz Kowalski and owned by Anthony Hoover, El Alto Hombre delivered an emotional victory for his connections Monday. David Hoover, trainer of El Alto Hombre and brother of the owner, died last week following a training accident and the horse was transferred to Kowalski's care.

“I spoke to David the day before he passed away and I entered the horse on his wishes,” Kowalski said. “It's not the way you wish to gain a horse, but I am immensely proud to have this horse.”

A 6-year-old Kentucky-bred by Archarcharch, El Alto Hombre earned $6,600 for the victory and is 10-11-4 in 30 career starts with earnings of $51,148. His Grants Pass record is 5-7-1 from 15 starts, including a second in the Oregon Caves Stakes last June.

In the Caveman, El Alto Hombre settled in third behind dueling leaders Pure Pursuit and Desalut, as those two blazed through an opening quarter mile in :21.63 seconds. Pure Pursuit won the pace battle, shaking off Desalut after a half-mile in :45.42, but El Alto Hombre would not be denied. The winner gathered momentum on the last turn, collared Pure Pursuit into the lane and drew off to win with authority.

Pure Pursuit, ridden by Patrick Henry Jr., held second, and Golden Cowboy, ridden by Taylor Smith, finished third. Count Alexei, the 5 to 2 favorite, finished fourth and was followed by Molaf, Pulpits Power, Chill, Dusalut, Keyson and Capes Hot Rocket.

On-track attendance was 735 and the total handle of $461,959 established a record for an eight-race program at Grants Pass Downs.

NOTES: Heavily favored Hey Sequoia ($2.80) rallied under Mckenzie King to capture the 2021 spring/summer meet opener for owner Leon Scott and trainer Quinn Howey, running the 1 1/16 miles in 1:50 flat. The 6-year-old British Columbia-bred is now three for four lifetime at Grants Pass Downs and was claimed Monday for $4,000 by owner Al Peterson and trainer Jorge Rosales. . .Fiesty Town Lady ($43.60) scored off a 30-month layoff in race five, leading gate to wire under Jose Guerrero in 1:00.35 for five furlongs. A 7-year-old Washington-bred mare owned by Brenda Ibarra and trained by Diego Guerrero, Fiesty Town Lady's previous start was November 6, 2018 at Portland Meadows. . . Fiesty Town Lady and sixth race winner Wishful One ($23) helped produce a mammoth $15,981.20 payout to one winning ticket in the $0.50 Pick 4. . . Guerrero and Eduardo Gutierrez-Sosa rode two winners each on the eight-race card. . .10-year-old Aotearoa ($7), winner of Monday's eighth race, won the 2013 Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita and finished seventh in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. . .Oregon-breds won both Quarter Horse races—Chumbley ($6.20) clicking under Gutierrez-Sosa in race two and No Juans Fool ($4.20) scoring his maiden victory under Joree Scriver in race three. . .The 2021 spring/summer meet continues Tuesday with an eight-race program at 5:15 p.m.

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