Woodstock, VA — Chuck Perry’s The Lizard won his third straight race at the Shenandoah Downs spring meet Saturday (May 17) when the 3-year-old Lazarus gelding crossed the wire two lengths the best in a $6,000 conditioned pace. Perry’s pacer is a perfect 4-for-4 now this year.
The Lizard left from post three in an eight-horse field and watched Archie Buford’s Fabulous get to the front early and in an initial panel of :28.1. Shortly after the quarter, Perry’s pacer came outside from fourth, triggered the half in :55.4 and never looked back though Fabulous continued to press right until the finish. The Lizard crossed two lengths the best in 1:55 as the 1-9 betting choice. Lightly raced with only seven career starts, The Lizard had a 1:53.3 winning mile in his 2025 debut April 21 at Rosecroft.
Fabulous, lightly raced as well with only seven lifetime starts — including three wins and three seconds — was sent off at 43-1 odds and earned runner-up status for driver/trainer Archie Buford. Oscar Johnson’s K J Messenger, seeking his third straight win, took third.
One of Perry’s other prized horses, 12-year-old John’s Dream, reached the winners circle for the first time this year in Sunday’s second race. The Dream Away gelding is a former Woodstock track record holder and is the winningest horse in Shenandoah Downs history. Fresh off back-to-back third place finishes, John’s Dream came outside of Shawn Johnson’s front stepper Filthy McNasty at the half, was a head better at the third fraction then powered forward in the stretch and held off fast closing Tuggingoncredit at the wire, finishing in 1:56.2.
John’s Dream reached the winners circle for the first time in five starts this year. The win pushed his career earnings over the $383,000 mark. It was his 49th career triumph.
Fastest mile of the weekend was authored by Billy Carter’s Bluebird Ina who surged from third in the final turn of Sunday’s ninth race, passing Bryon Dunning’s Speaking of Coffee en route to a 1:54.2 score — though St Lads Bijou made it interesting with a late rally. Blue bird Ina won for the first time this meet after respective third and second place finishes.
Sunday’s $10,000 winners-over pacing feature was won by Joseph Karrat’s Champ Charbel, who moved up in class after a 1:54.1 win last week and was assigned the rail in today’s 7-horse showcase. Tim Deaton, competing in Woodstock for the first time, was in the sulky and led the 8-year-old Ponder gelding to victory in 1:55.3. Sea of Life, last week’s winners-over victor, took a close second after being assigned the outside post. Lou Goans’s Leroy Gibbs was third.
The spring season continues this coming Memorial Day weekend with cards on Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25 at 1:05 p.m. Saturday’s card features preliminary legs in the track’s Mountain Racing Series for 4- and 5-year-old Virginia Certified pacers and trotters — in the Blue Ridge Pace and Alleghany Trot. Three-year-old Virginia Breeders prep races also kick off next weekend. Entries for both days are due Wednesday at 9 a.m.