95-Year-Old Harness Horse Trainer William Fletcher Wins at Shenandoah Downs

On Saturday, 95-year-old William Fletcher, a harness horse trainer from Oak Hall, Virginia, celebrated his first victory in four years at Shenandoah Downs. Fletcher’s win came on the fall season’s opening day with his 4-year-old pacer, Billy Boy B.

William Fletcher

The race marked the year’s first start for Billy Boy B and his nonagenarian trainer. The horse had recently finished second in a qualifying run at Harrington Raceway on September 11. In Saturday’s sixth race, Billy Boy B was in third position during the first half of the non-winners of the 1-mile event. Driven by Chuck Perry, the gelding surged ahead down the backstretch, overtaking the leader Opals On Fire, and finished strong with a time of 2:00.0. The win returned $7.40 to those who bet on the horse.

Fletcher, a former produce farmer who began his harness racing career in the 1960s, earned his last win in 2020 with Breeze Away B, a former Virginia Breeder’s 2-year-old Filly Pacing champion. Fletcher made the five-hour trip to Woodstock from his home on Virginia’s Eastern Shore with the help of fellow horseman Robert White, whose horse Antares Star also competed on the same race card.

Weekend Highlights at Shenandoah Downs

The weekend featured a series of thrilling races and standout performances. Driver Eric Davis had two remarkable days, securing three wins on Saturday and Sunday. Five of his victories were with horses trained by Alexandra Goldin. Among their triumphs was Marcus Seelster, who clinched his 25th career win on Sunday with a time of 1:54 1/5, tying for the weekend’s fastest mile. Howard Kaufman and Joshua Kaufman’s Speaking Of Coffee matched that speed in a Saturday race driven by William Carter.

Davis and Goldin also saw success with Awesome Times Two, Blue Bayou Deo, Cheyenne Ryan Lee, and Dynomites Peak, while Davis’s sixth win came aboard Dancin Image. Goldin celebrated her most successful year as a trainer, achieving her 30th to 34th wins over the weekend.

The husband-and-wife duo of Jack and Alexandria Killeen also shone. Jack Killeen, a regular driver at The Meadows, steered J-S Swanman and Six To Won to victories, marking the 32nd and 3rd career wins for the horses, respectively. He also secured a second-place finish with Ahabs Wildflower.

Sunday’s fastest trotting mile was delivered by Vulcan Hanover, a 7-year-old gelding owned by Shantae Gant. The horse, driven by Billy Carter, won the $8,000 trotting feature in 1:57 4/5. Vulcan Hanover has been a standout at the Shenandoah Downs track, earning 17 wins in the past four years with Carter in the sulky.

Upcoming Events and Attractions

The excitement continues at Shenandoah Downs, with races scheduled for Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, starting at 1:05 PM. Fans will have a chance to participate in the “VHHA Own a Horse for a Day” promotion, where eight lucky contestants can experience the thrill of owning a racehorse and keeping a share of any prize money won in a $5,250 race. The track’s popular Wiener Dog Derby will take place on Sunday, featuring a full field of 40 dachshunds competing between races four and eight.

Free past performance programs are available at shenandoahdowns.com and Derby Bill Watson’s selection sheet. Fans can watch the Shenandoah simulcast signal on Dish-TV and place bets online via Twinspires, TVG, Xpressbet, and NYRAbets. Shenandoah Downs is located at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds, conveniently off I-81, Exit 283 in Woodstock, Virginia.