JC / Railbird

Scenes from Suffolk’s 75th

A crowd of 10,310 came out to enjoy Suffolk Downs’ 75th anniversary card on Saturday, wagering $259,880 on track. It was a lively scene, one that even a mid-afternoon downpour couldn’t dampen. A few photos from the day …

Suffolk 75th
Big Cash gets hosed down after winning the day’s first race. The 4-year-old gelding trained by Wayne Marcoux lived up to his name, paying $42, the biggest price of the afternoon. Favorites won four of the 10 races on the card.

Suffolk 75th
Tom and Richard Phelan, interviewed in the winner’s circle by Bob Neumeier after the first race. The Phelans’ parents won the first race run at Suffolk Downs with a horse named Eddie Wrack. Richard holds the silks worn that day by rider Carl Hanford, who would go on to become a Hall of Fame trainer known for such champions as the great Kelso.

Suffolk 75th
Trainer John Boillard, a happy man after winning the day’s fourth race with Bullheaded, a 4-year-old son of Holy Bull ridden by Tammi Piermarini.

Suffolk 75th
Retired jockey Abigail Fuller, awaiting the fourth race trophy presentation, talks with reporters and photographers trackside. The day’s fourth was named in honor of Mom’s Command, the winner of the 1985 Filly Triple Crown and Alabama Stakes. Fuller rode Mom’s Command for her father, breeder and owner Peter Fuller, in all but two of the Hall of Famer’s starts. “It’s great to be back and great to see all of my good friends,” said Fuller.

Suffolk 75th
A mid-card downpour delayed the start of the sixth.

Suffolk 75th
Jackie Davis weighs out after winning race six on Jerry the Mush, a 2-year-old colt trained by Charles Fontana. Davis, who rode as an apprentice in New York, is a graduate of Chris McCarron’s North American Racing Academy, as is another young Suffolk jockey, Kristina McManigell. McCarron, who got his start in racing at Suffolk Downs in 1971, presented the trophy for the day’s eighth race, named in honor of 1987 MassCap winner Waquoit.

Suffolk 75th
Awakino Cat, trained by Linda Rice, in the winner’s circle after the Seabiscuit Stakes. The race was taken off the turf due to heavy rain. “It was a little bit wet but that helped me out,” said jockey Channing Hill, adding that the switch to the main track didn’t much change his strategy for the five-furlong sprint.

Suffolk 75th
Channing Hill watches as Everyday Heroes is reshod. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee lost his right front plate shortly before the James B. Moseley Sprint Stakes starters left the paddock and strongly resisted the efforts of the farrier to re-shoe him, rearing several times and looking more and more washed out and agitated as the minutes passed. Calls of “Scratch him!” came from the crowd gathered around the fence. He wasn’t, and won the race by a game head, paying $9.20 and giving Hill a sweep of day’s stakes.

Charts for Suffolk Downs, 7/10/10 (PDF).


7 Comments

These were breathtaking. Thank you for sharing them.

Posted by Manila on July 11, 2010 @ 11:57 am

Thanks Jessica,
Great photos, I’m sorry I missed it.

Posted by Susan on July 11, 2010 @ 1:39 pm

Great pictures! I’m only about 2 hours from Suffolk Downs and I still haven’t visited yet!

Posted by Brian Appleton on July 11, 2010 @ 7:14 pm

I was wondering where Jackie the Jockey has been hanging out at.

Apparently she’s doing very well in Beantown.

Jacqueline A. Davis
98 12 15 14 $132,078

Posted by The_Knight_Sky racing on July 11, 2010 @ 11:38 pm

Thanks, Manila and Susan! Suffolk knows how to put on a party. It’s a neat little track, Brian. If you’re in Boston this summer, it’s worth a visit.

Indeed, she is doing well, Knight Sky. Davis’ agent previously represented Joe Hampshire (one of Suffolk’s leading riders back in the mid-2000s) and another top local jock. She’s getting decent mounts, and knows what to do with them.

Posted by Jessica on July 12, 2010 @ 7:24 am

I’m guessing Jerry the Mush’s owner hails from The Lake!

Posted by Dave on July 12, 2010 @ 3:20 pm

Funny, I didn’t think of that! But you’re probably right, Dave. For anyone wondering about The Lake and the Mush, here’s a little background.

Posted by Jessica on July 12, 2010 @ 5:32 pm