Jockeys Patrick Henry Jr. and Alex Anaya were taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries on Tuesday night after the lights at Grants Pass Downs turned off shortly after the start of the 11th and final race of the closing night program at the Grants Pass, Ore., track.
The race was declared a “no contest” by officials.
The six horses were just starting to make their way down the backstretch for the first time in the 6 1/2-furlong claiming race on the Josephine County Fairgrounds oval when the lights went out.
“The lights just went off,” track announcer Jason Beem said when the track went dark. “Somebody just turned the lights off. All the lights 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.”
Two horses, Lead Actress and Don't Rub It, could be seen without their riders passing under the wire in the light of the photo finish camera. Henry had been aboard Lead Actress with Anaya on Don't Rub It. Both were racing just behind the early leader along the inside when the lights went off.
According to Beem's Twitter feed, all horses were caught and not injured.
I'm told all horses are accounted for and back in the paddock. Jockey Patrick Henry is being attended to by medics on the track. That told to me by stewards. Absolutely terrifying situation. Race is a no contest for race 11.
— Jason Beem (@BeemieAwards) November 10, 2021
There was a lot at stake in the race for horseplayers, including a mandatory payout in the Pick 5 that included a $51,112 jackpot going in and took in over $300,000 in new money. The payoffs leading into the 11th race, the final leg of the sequence, were $3 in the seventh race, $38.60 in the eighth, $5.60 in the ninth, and $8.20 in the 10th. The Equibase chart did not show how the multi-race wagers were resolved, but track publicist Vince Bruun said the race was considered an “all” under Oregon racing rules, meaning every selection was credited with being a winner. The bet, which effectively became a pick 4, paid $357.75, according to Bruun.
How and why the lights went off isn't clear, but the speculation is they were set on a timer to go off at approximately 10:30 p.m. and were not adjusted after the switch from daylight savings to standard time on the morning of Nov. 7.
The nine-race program on Monday, Nov. 8, ended with the final event going at 9:21 p.m. Tuesday's finale was off at 10:28 p.m.
Randy Evers, general manager at Grants Pass Downs, could not be reached for comment or additional information.
The post VIDEO: ‘Somebody Just Turned The Lights Off’: Two Jockeys Injured in Bizarre Grants Pass Finale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
