At the start of September, six people will have the opportunity to become racehorse owners just by showing up at the track.

Fans that attend harness racing at the Shenandoah County Fair this year will have something extra special in store besides four days of pacing and trotting action from September 1-4.

Six attendees over the four days will win a unique chance to "Own a Horse for a Day". The lucky winners will return on Saturday, September 18 — opening weekend of the Shenandoah Downs pari-mutuel meet — and actually own a horse in a $4,000 race.

Those six, joined by two winners from a local radio station contest, will each draw one of eight horses in the "Own a Horse" race field. Each winner will get to spend time in the paddock with their horse, trainer and driver before the race, enjoy lunch on the VIP trackside viewing deck, and keep the purse money their horse earns in that race.

The "owner" of the horse that finishes first will win $2,000. Owners of horses that finish second thru fifth will receive 25%, 12%, 8% and 5% of the purse, per the regular owner distribution formula. Finishers of the sixth thru eighth place finishers will receive $100 in addition, of course, to a memorable time.

Fans can register by attending the Shenandoah County Fair harness races in Woodstock, Va. any day — or all days — between Wednesday, September 1 and Saturday, September 4 and filling out an entry. Post time each day is 12:00 p.m. One winner will be drawn at random after the sixth race each day and as a weekend bonus, two names will be drawn on both Friday and Saturday.

Two more "Own a Horse" opportunities will be available during the Shenandoah Downs meet. Fans can register during the race cards on September 18 and October 2 for a chance to own a horse on Saturday, September 25 and Saturday, October 9 with respective $4,000 purses. The promotion is sponsored by the Virginia Harness Horse Association (VHHA).

Fans attending the Fair are encouraged to stop by the track's promotional booth in the exhibit building to register to win a Shenandoah Downs VIP Experience. Two winners will return to the races on Friday, September 24 and enjoy a harness enthusiast's dream package. They will each get dinner, a $20 betting voucher, a ride in the starter's car, a race named in their honour complete with a winner's circle presentation and souvenir picture, plus they will each announce a harness race that day and compete in a double-seater sulky race. Two additional winners will be selected at the September 18 race card.

Both the County Fair and Shenandoah Downs races take place at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds in Woodstock, Virgnia, located at Exit 283 off I-81 halfway between Harrisonburg and Winchester. Complete promotional details are posted at shenandoahdowns.com.

(Shenandoah Downs)