Driver Chuck Perry collects 1,000th win Sunday at Shenandoah Downs
October 9, 2017,by Darrell Wood, for Shenandoah Downs
Woodstock, VA — Driver Chuck Perry collected his 1,000th career victory Sunday afternoon (Oct. 8) at Shenandoah Downs, capping off a memorable six win weekend for the Suffolk, Va., resident.
Dee Leftwich photo
Chuck Perry collected his 1,000th career victory Sunday afternoon at Shenandoah Downs.
The 52-year-old reinsman scored his landmark win aboard a 13-year-old gelding pacer named B Blissful. The Jimmy Viars trainee was 2016 co-horse of the meet but had yet to reach the winner’s circle during the 2017 fall season here.
Perry guided the pacer to an early lead Sunday in the second race — a $4,500 conditioned pace — and held it comfortably until the third marker when A Million Thanks came outside and met the leader stride-for-stride. B Blissful held off the challenge, regained control and crossed a length ahead of fast closing Gene Eugene in 1:57.1.
Perry entered the day with 998 wins and after the day’s first three races, had notched numbers 999, 1,000 and 1,001.
He kicked off the card with an upset score with Renfrow Hauser’s Shez In Orbit, then followed B Blissful’s triumph with a win piloting Two Shades Of Grey. He completed his four-pack driving Moonshinemonkeys to victory in the fifth.
A trio of trainers whose last name is Lineweaver completed a rare conditioner trifecta in the fourth. Joyce Lineweaver’s Welcometotheparty hit the wire first, followed by Alvin Lineweaver’s Dinger Four and Eileen Lineweaver’s Desired Lady. All three family members are originally from Mauertown, Va. Alvin still resides there while Joyce is now based in Delaware and her mother Eileen is in Pennsylvania.
Shenandoah Downs closes out its second harness racing season with cards on Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 14 and 15) at 1 p.m. Parking and admission are free.
Saturday’s highlight is an Autumnfest celebration featuring a Kansas City barbecue competition, craft beer sampling, live music, a car show, cornhole tournament and more. An upgrade ticket to that event can be purchased at www.shenandoahdowns.com.