Shenandoah Downs: Live harness racing returns to Virginia

The first-ever spring pari-mutuel harness racing season at Shenandoah Downs --- scheduled to begin April 1 and continue thru May 14 --- will offer a slate of promotions to lure race fans including a unique "Own a Horse for a Day" promotion on three separate weekends.

Live racing will take place every Saturday and Sunday at 1 PM including Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day. The 7-week April/May session marks the first spring meet to be held in Virginia since 1998, when the inaugural Standardbred campaign at Colonial Downs in New Kent took place.

Eight "Own a Horse for a Day" fans will be selected at random on the first, third and final weekend in April. Each winner will randomly draw a horse in a specified contest race that day. They will get to spend time in the paddock with their horse, enjoy complimentary lunch and most importantly, keep the purse money their horse earns in a $4,000 race. The popular promotion is sponsored by the Virginia Harness Horse Association.

The Harness Horse Youth Foundation will host a day camp for fans 12 years of age and older at the Woodstock oval on April 29. Participants will have hands-on time with horses in the backstretch beginning with morning training at 8 AM. Cost to attend is $35 -- which includes lunch --- and is available at hhyf.org.

Shenandoah Downs is located at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds at I-81, Exit 283 in Woodstock, halfway between Harrisonburg and Winchester. Complete meet details are available at shenandoahdowns.com.

-edited release (Shenandoah Downs)