Shenandoah Downs will kick off its 11th year of pari-mutuel harness racing in Woodstock, Virginia on Saturday, April 11 and continue a seven-week spring season with cards every Saturday and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. through May 24. A seven-week fall meet will follow from Sept. 19 to No. 1, preceded by a four-day non-wagering session at the Shenandoah County Fair from Sept. 2-5.

Opening day festivities on April 11 will include a celebration of iconic driver/trainer Roger Hammer, highlighting his impact on Virginia harness racing over the past 27 years along with an 80th birthday tribute — albeit a couple months delayed. The first 500 fans 18 years old and up will receive a commemorative t-shirt themed around the Beford, Pennsylvania native's career. Later on the card, fans in attendance can meet Hammer and enjoy a piece of celebratory birthday cake. Hammer turned 80 earlier this year on Feb. 18.
 
Most known for his homebred trotter Vivid Photo -- who had a magical run from 2004 to 2012 highlighted by a 2005 Hambletonian win -- Hammer has put up impressive career stats as both a driver and trainer. In the sulky, he has 16,479 starts, 4,463 wins and purse earnings of $23.9 million. As a conditioner, he has 14,026 starts, 2,658 wins and winnings of $21.2 million.  

In the Commonwealth, Hammer's presence has been felt since pari-mutuel harness racing was introduced at Colonial Downs in 1998. The New Kent oval -- which featured a unique one-turn mile track configuration -- continued operating through 2014. Hammer participated as a driver and trainer in 11 of those years. Once Shenandoah Downs opened and became Virginia's new home for harness racing in 2016, he has been an annual fixture at the Woodstock oval.

Hammer brought his Hambo champ to compete at Colonial in five consecutive years, from 2005 to 2009. Vivid Photo won the track's signature event, the $100,000 Patriot Trot, in 2006 and 2007. He also won an overnight race there in 2005 and finished second and fourth, respectively, in the final two Patriot trot editions in 2008 and 2009.

Heading into the 2026 Shenandoah spring meet, Hammer is 22 training starts away from his 1000th in Virginia. Between Colonial and Shenandoah, his horses have made 978 starts — 365 at Colonial and 613 in Woodstock. He has reached the winner's circle 142 times with earnings of $850,456.      

The octogenarian still ships in from his home base in Bedford, Pennsylvania every race day during the Shenandoah meets. The 2025 campaign was his most active yet in Virginia with 120 starts. Hammer's Battin Athousand, with earnings of $270,000, won during both the spring and fall meets. His other winners included Maker Lather, Little Town Road and Light My Torch.  

(With files from Shenandoah Downs)