Shenandoah Downs Opens 11th Season April 11 with Tribute to Roger Hammer

Shenandoah Downs will open its 11th season of pari-mutuel harness racing on Saturday, April 11, launching a seven-week spring meet that runs through May 24.

Races will be held every Saturday and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. throughout the meet. A seven-week fall meet is also scheduled from September 19 through November 1, following a four-day non-wagering session at the Shenandoah County Fair from September 2–5.

Opening day will feature a special tribute to longtime driver and trainer Roger Hammer, recognizing his contributions to Virginia harness racing over the past 27 years, along with a delayed celebration of his 80th birthday.

The first 500 fans age 18 and older will receive a commemorative T-shirt honoring the Bedford, Pennsylvania native’s career. Later in the program, fans will have an opportunity to meet Hammer and take part in a birthday celebration.

Roger Hammer drives Battin Athousand during Shenandoah Downs competition, where the standout performer recorded wins in both the 2025 spring and fall meets.

Hammer, who turned 80 on February 18, is widely known for his standout trotter Vivid Photo, whose career from 2004 to 2012 included a victory in the prestigious Hambletonian in 2005.

Over his career, Hammer has compiled impressive numbers as both a driver and a trainer. In the sulky, he has recorded 16,479 starts, 4,463 wins, and $23.9 million in earnings. As a trainer, he has posted 14,026 starts, 2,658 wins, and $21.2 million in purse earnings.

His presence in Virginia dates back to 1998, when pari-mutuel harness racing was introduced at Colonial Downs. Hammer competed there as both a driver and trainer during 11 seasons before the track ceased operations in 2014.

Since Shenandoah Downs opened in 2016, Hammer has been a regular participant at the Woodstock track.

Vivid Photo competed at Colonial Downs for five consecutive years from 2005 to 2009, winning the $100,000 Patriot Trot in 2006 and 2007. The horse also captured an overnight race in 2005 and placed second and fourth in the final two editions of the Patriot Trot.

Heading into the 2026 season, Hammer is nearing a milestone, sitting just 22 starts shy of 1,000 training starts in Virginia. Between Colonial Downs and Shenandoah Downs, his horses have made 978 starts, including 365 at Colonial and 613 in Woodstock, with 142 wins and earnings totaling $850,456.

Hammer continues to travel from his home base in Bedford, Pennsylvania, for each race day during the Shenandoah meets. His 2025 campaign marked his most active season in Virginia, with 120 starts.

Among his recent highlights, Battin Athousand earned $241,000 and recorded wins during both the spring and fall meets. Additional winners included Maker Lather, Little Town Road, and Light My Torch.

More information about the 2026 racing season, along with free TrackMaster past performance programs and Derby Bill Watson’s daily tip sheet, is available at the Shenandoah Downs website.