Author: by Darrell Wood, for Shenandoah Downs

Roger Hammer’s Battin Athousand captured his 23rd career victory in Shenandoah Downs’ $8,000 featured race Sunday (May 4) as the Woodstock oval continued its “10 Years of Pari-Mutuel Racing” campaign. 

Shenandoah Downs kicked off its spring harness racing season in Woodstock this weekend by paying tribute to driver Hunter Myers. The horse community gathered on-track to observe a moment of silence before the first race to recognize Hunter’s legacy. A 50/50 raffle was held both Saturday & Sunday to benefit Hunter’s fiancé and young son, and over $2,400 was raised as both raffle winners — local horsemen Steve & Nicole Wetzel and Shenandoah County Fair Manager Dawn Burch — donated their winnings right back to the fund.  

The tote board forecast that the $14,000 featured pace for developing horses Sunday (April 27) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia could come down to two horses, and the punters’ forecast was exactly right, as Twisted Destiny made a successful seasonal debut as the favorite in 1:51.2 over second-choice Dublin Dasher.

After going three-for-three in his prelims, Antognoni S put the cherry on top of his John Brennan Trotting Series dominance with a romping 2:24.3 win over the mile and a quarter distance in the $132,000 final on Wednesday night (April 23) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. 

Oaxacan Dream N put the field asleep in Buffalo Raceway’s $12,500 main event for the distaff pacers by notching a half length victory over Rightfully Mine in a season’s best 1:56.1 over the fast track on Wednesday afternoon (April 23).

Tyler Long’s Vlahos ($34.40, Montrell Teague) was a wire-to-wire winner in 1:56.2 in the $18,000 Open Trot Wednesday at Harrington Raceway.

Fast fractions helped tee slight 7/2 second choice Picksixking for an off-the-pace score in the $16,000 featured pace at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Tuesday afternoon (April 22). 

Trainer Lou Pena and the Todd’s Auto Stable of Todd Cerenza came to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Tuesday (April 22) afternoon with newly-acquired trotters Altus Hanover and Golden Compass, each horse looking to complete a sweep of the Game Of Claims Series’ three preliminary rounds.

Better Is Nice, last season’s Kentucky Sire Stakes sophomore male pacing champion, makes his 4-year-old debut against four foes in a Kentucky Sire Stakes preliminary event Monday (April 21) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, one of five $50,000 first-round series events on the 13-race program.

Sheriff N took no prisoners in locking up the featured $5,000 conditioned pace on Saturday (April 19) at Cumberland Raceway.