The starting gates are preparing to open again at the Josephine County Fairgrounds as Grants Pass Downs launches its 2026 Fall Race Meet on Sunday, Sept. 13, beginning a 10-day season of thoroughbred and quarter horse racing that will stretch into October.
The autumn meet brings horses, jockeys, trainers and spectators back to the Grants Pass track at a time when the local venue has become an increasingly important part of Oregon’s remaining live horse-racing circuit. Presented by the Horseman’s Racing Association, the season combines competitive racing with a succession of community events scheduled throughout the five-week calendar.
Opening Day begins with a 1 p.m. post time and free admission for spectators age 60 and older. From there, racing continues through Oct. 12, with individual race days carrying their own events and attractions.
The return of fall racing also brings another season of activity to the Josephine County Fairgrounds, where Grants Pass Downs has developed into a regional destination for racing participants and spectators. Horses, trainers and jockeys are expected from across the West Coast and Pacific Northwest, filling the track’s barns and assembling fields for both thoroughbred and quarter horse competition.
“We are gearing up for a tremendous fall at Grants Pass Downs,” Racing Secretary Jerry Kohls said in the announcement. “Our barns will be full to capacity. We will have top horses, trainers and jockeys from the West Coast in attendance.”
Grants Pass occupies a distinctive place in Oregon’s horse-racing landscape. Following the permanent closure of Portland Meadows in 2019, the Southern Oregon track became one of the state’s principal locations for live racing. Its continued operation has given the sport a home hundreds of miles from the Portland metropolitan area while placing a significant portion of Oregon’s racing calendar in Josephine County.
This year’s fall schedule moves beyond the races themselves.
The fourth annual Rex on the Rogue Charity Race arrives Sept. 20, followed by the Ladies Hat Day Contest on Sept. 27. Both programs begin at 1 p.m. Oktoberfest takes over part of the Oct. 4 program with beer tasting and a later 4 p.m. post time, followed by Fan Appreciation Day on Oct. 11, also beginning at 4 p.m.
The season reaches its finale Monday, Oct. 12, when the Grants Pass Mile anchors the closing program. Racing begins at 1 p.m. that day. Monday programs during the meet will also include a buy-one, get-one-free admission promotion.
Spectators will again have access to simulcast wagering, an addition introduced at Grants Pass Downs during the 2026 summer season. The system allows patrons attending the local track to wager on races taking place at participating tracks elsewhere, expanding the racing program beyond the events unfolding on the Grants Pass oval.
Horse racing has been woven into Oregon’s sporting history for generations, but the geography of the industry has changed considerably. With Portland Meadows gone, Grants Pass is no longer simply hosting another regional racing meet. The Josephine County track now carries a larger share of the state’s live racing schedule, bringing competitors and racing operations from outside Southern Oregon directly into the community.
For Josephine County, the fall meet means five weeks of racing activity at a familiar local landmark as summer gives way to autumn. The grandstands, barns and track will return to competition beginning Sunday, with the season progressing through charity racing, community events and stakes competition before the Grants Pass Mile closes the gates on another fall meet in October.