Not by a Longshot
My old home track of Suffolk Downs opens on Saturday with a new owner, 102 days of racing scheduled, and dime superfectas on the wagering menu (DRF). New England’s lone thoroughbred racing venue is also the subject of a new book this spring, “Not by a Longshot,” by T.D. Thornton, who writes about the highs, lows, and ho-hum days of the track’s 2000 season so well that I found myself wishing I was back in East Boston. “Not by a Longshot” is a wonderfully evocative book, making vivid the daily routine on the frontside and backside of a hard-luck track like Suffolk, the characters who populate it, and the horses who run for them. Plus, for those who know Suffolk, there are plenty of gossipy bits …
Addendum: It was a “spiffy” opening day for Suffolk Downs, with 16,437 people in attendance (Boston Globe).
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Also recently published: “Ruffian: A Racetrack Romance,” by William Nack. A superb retelling of the great filly’s brilliant career and catastrophic end, as remembered by one of her biggest fans.
