Shenandoah Downs will celebrate its 10th year of pari-mutuel harness racing with a pair of seven-week meets at the Woodstock, Virginia oval in 2025.
The spring session will run from April 26 to June 8 and a fall meet will extend from Sept. 13 to Oct. 26. Dates for both campaigns were formally approved by the Virginia Racing Commission at its Feb. 14 meeting.
The track will conduct racing every Saturday and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. this year with three exceptions -- May 3 (Kentucky Derby Day), May 17 (Preakness Day) and June 7 (Belmont Day) -- when first post will be 3:05 p.m.
The spring meet drops back two weeks on the calendar this year in order to accommodate simulcasting of all three Thoroughbred Triple Crown legs. Previously, the meet wrapped up before the Belmont. On normal race days, wagering is offered on live races only. This year, fans can enjoy full card simulcasting from Churchill Downs, Pimlico Race Course and Belmont Park on those Thoroughbred Triple Crown days.
Racing applications for the spring session are due on March 1 and are available via the shenandoahdowns.com website under the "Horsemen" header. Peter Szymanski enters year two in his role as Director of Racing and Karen Fagliarone, who worked at Freehold Raceway for 42 years, takes over as Racing Secretary. Horsepeople that have questions, especially as the application deadline nears, can contact Fagliarone at 732-239-0281 or e-mail her at [email protected].
New this spring is a schedule tweak to the Virginia Breeder's Fund Championship Series. For the last several years, $80,000 USD title matches in the two and three-year-old pace and trot divisions had been held on closing day of the fall meet in a "Day of Champions" event. During last fall's edition, $720,625 USD in purse monies were distributed. This year, three-year-old championships will be held closing weekend of the spring meet -- trotters on June 7 and pacers on June 8 -- while two-year-old championships remain on closing weekend of the fall meet, but on separate days -- trotters on Oct. 25 and pacers on Oct. 26.
The Virginia Breeder's Fund program has grown substantially in the past few years. In 2015, there were 35 foals registered in the program; in 2023, there were 105 registered.
The first crop of foals in the new Virginia Sired Stakes program -- which started with the 2022 breeding season -- will compete in a series of $60,000 USD finals during the fall meet. Prior to establishing this program, there were three stallions standing in Virginia. In 2022, 19 stallions stood in the Commonwealth and 79 mares were bred.
Construction of a new 32,500 square foot horse barn on the grounds has begun and once complete, will provide permanent stabling for 148 horses during the meets. Since Shenandoah Downs started hosting races in 2016, stalls and tent canopies have been rented annually and erected prior to each meet -- and taken down afterwards -- on a pad site behind the paddock that can accommodate up to 190 horses. Several other barn structures with permanent roofing have been used as well. The new barn will ensure that all horses who reside in Woodstock the entire meet will have safe and secure housing. The project won't be complete in time for the upcoming spring meet but will be ready in time for the fall meet and the four-day Shenandoah County Fair meet that precedes it.
The Shenandoah Downs barn area will open on Monday, April 21. Additional meet details are at shenandoahdowns.com.
(Shenandoah Downs)