Shenandoah Downs opens fall season with $10,000 Open Trot

(WOODSTOCK, VA — 9/15/2023) —- Shenandoah Downs will open its eighth annual fall harness racing season in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley this weekend with a pair of twelve race cards scheduled to go to post at 1 PM both Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17. The 7-week season will continue through October 29.

All dozen races on Saturday’s kickoff card feature eight horse fields while seven of twelve on Sunday’s card have full fields. Showcase race of the weekend is Sunday’s $10,000 Open Trot. Seven of the eight entrants boast $100,000-plus bankrolls led by Gregory Gardner’s Keegan Ho (Donato Hanover) with $368,199. Interestingly the only horse that falls short — Shantae Gant’s Vulcan Hanover with $95,358 — is one of the most successful horses to ever compete in Woodstock. The 6-year-old gelding has won 13 pari-mutuel races at Shenandoah over the past three years including five this spring. With five victories at the Shenandoah County Fair as well, 18 of his 23 career wins have come locally. He is fourth early favorite at 9-2.

David Jarvis’s Creekside Pete is early choice at 2-1 based on a 1:55.0 winning mile at Tioga July 22. Scott Woogen’s railbird K J Kyra is next at 3-1 and enters opening day festivities having won three of her last four. She is the only mare in the field. Garder’s Keegan Ho, with a 1:53 3/5 life mark, is third choice at 4-1.

The Shenandoah simulcast signal will be available on Dish-TV so fans around the country can wager Virginia harness at their favorite track or simulcast outlet. A steaming signal will be available as well for online betting via Twinspires, TVG, Xpressbet and NYRAbets. Free Trackmaster past performance programs along with handicapper “Derby Bill Watson’s” Tip Sheet are available at shenandoahdowns.com.

by Darrell Wood, for Shenandoah Downs