Annual Wiener Dog Derby coming to Shenandoah Downs

(WOODSTOCK, VA — 9/22/2025) — Shenandoah Downs will host its biggest harness racing  promotional weekend of the fall season this coming Saturday September 27 — with a special $5,000 Sports Fans “Own a Horse for a Day” event — and Sunday September 28 — with the annual Wiener Dog Derby.

The Virginia Harness Horse Association’s (VHHA) popular “Own a Horse for Day” contest, where eight fans get a chance to own a horse for an afternoon and vie for a $5,000 purse, will take on a new twist this Saturday. In order to get an entry, fans must wear a jersey or shirt that displays their favorite sports team or player. Eight lucky fans will be chosen at random for this unique prize after the third race.

Each of the eight winners will randomly select an individual horse to own in the ninth race — THAT AFTERNOON — and will split a $5,000 purse based on where their respective horse finishes. The first-place finisher gets 50% of the purse ($2,500) while second place gets 25% ($1,250), followed by 12%, 8% and 5 % respectively for third thru fifth. The final three finishers will each get $100 so all contestants leave a winner.

Winners also get a lunch voucher and a chance to meet their horse, trainer and driver in the paddock before the race.

Sunday’s Wiener Dog Derby offers an afternoon of free family fun that includes the regular harness racing card which begins at 1:05 PM. The popular dachshund races will rotate in with the horse races starting at 2:00 PM with elimination heats after races four thru seven followed by the Wiener Dog Derby itself after race eight.

Flippin Chicken will be on site selling BBQ, S & S Concessions will be selling $1 hot dogs, the bar will have a $2 canned beer special and Sugar Creek Ice Cream will have many delicious ice cream flavors available for fans to enjoy. Parking and admission are free!

by Darrell Wood, for Shenandoah Downs