Shenandoah Downs: Fall meet kicks off on Saturday

Shenandoah Downs kicks off its 11th fall season of pari-mutuel harness racing this Saturday, September 19 and continues a seven-week campaign thru November 1 with cards every Saturday and Sunday at 1:05 P.M. (EDT). The track hosted a seven-week meet back in the spring and most recently played host to a four-day non-wagering County Fair meet in the week leading up to Labor Day.

Two-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes will take center stage on two different occasions during the meet. A four-pack of $100,000 Virginia Sire Stake divisional finals are scheduled on Saturday, October 3 and a four-pack of Virginia Breeders divisional championships highlight closing weekend festivities on October 31. Prep races for each series will be contested the weekends of September 26/27 (Sire Stakes) and October 17/18 and 24/25 (Breeders), respectively.

Opening day will feature a tribute to John's Dream, the winningest harness horse ever at Shenandoah Downs. Foaled at owner/driver/trainer Chuck Perry's farm in Suffolk, Virginia, John's Dream competed 12 years - 11 in Woodstock and one year at Oak Ridge in 2015 - and reached the winner's circle 36 times at Virginia tracks. Overall, the Dream Away gelding won 57 races and amassed $435,362 in earnings. The first 500 fans 18 years of age and up will receive a free commemorative John's Dream long-sleeved t-shirt.

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Othe key promotions include a tenth anniversary celebration on September 26, Shenandoah County's annual Autumnfest celebration on October 3, a "Pigskin & Ponies Own a Horse for a Day" event on October 10, the Wiener Dog Derby on October 11, a baseball cap giveaway on October 17 and the Pink Power Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 24.

Every Sunday, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 canned beer and enter a free "Pick the Horses" handicapping contest with $250 in cash prizes. The winner of each Sunday's contest will take home the top prize of $125 and get a chance to "Own a Horse for a Day" November 1 and win their share of a $5,000 purse. The popular promotion is sponsored by the Virginia Harness Horse Association (VHHA).

Shenandoah Downs is located in the quaint town of Woodstock off I-81 at Exit 283, halfway between Harrisonburg and Winchester. Harness racing has been featured at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds for 110 years.

Additional season details are at shenandoahdowns.com.

--press release (Shenandoah Downs)--