Railbird 2004–2019

Suffolk Downs

Strong Opening

Suffolk Downs opened for the summer on Saturday, and what a day it was: Drawn by good weather and a Kentucky Derby starter with a local connection, a crowd of 14,612 packed the grandstand for a nine-race card on which $441,507 was bet. If the lines were long, the mood was celebratory as friends and neighbors welcomed each other back for the season, and community organizations were honored with winner’s circle presentations, including one for the Revere Fire Department (photo above), thanking them for so ably putting out a fire that broke out in the track kitchen last week. Trainer Jay Bernardini had three wins on the day; jockeys David Amiss, Vernon Bush, and Dyn Panell scored with two each. Racing resumes Wednesday.

Posted in Racing on May 4, 2014 / Tagged Suffolk Downs

Derby Day Notes

Untapable gets a Beyer speed figure of 107 for her Kentucky Oaks victory, and a TimeformUS figure of 114, numbers that put her in the same company as Kentucky Derby starters California Chrome and Wicked Strong in their final preps. When the “absolutely fabulous” filly makes her next start, the $4 she paid to win as the favorite on Friday is going to look like big money.

Early wagering on the Kentucky Derby has California Chome as the 2-1 favorite, with 27% of the $3.9 million win pool as of 10:00 AM. My picks in the race are California Chrome – Medal Count – Samraat. See who the Hello Race Fans team likes in all of today’s stakes races at Churchill. Good luck!

It’s not only Derby day, it’s opening day at Suffolk Downs, MAYBE FOR THE LAST TIME EVER, as every notice about the start of the 2014 meet points out. First post is 2:15 PM. Top rider Tammi Piermarini has mounts in eight races.

Posted in Racing on May 3, 2014 / Tagged Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, Speed Figures, Suffolk Downs, Untapable

Odds and Ends

Mr. Hot Stuff, cover gelding (PDF). The lazy looker won the A. P. Smithwick at Saratoga on Thursday. “He’s taken to the jumps because he doesn’t have to work that hard,” said trainer Jack Fisher of Colonel John’s brother, who never showed a similar flair for the flat. “Seriously. It’s not as tough; he’s not going down there in :23. It’s just a nice easy gallop for him. Sometimes, doing this, if it’s easy enough, they’ll try again. He’s a beautiful horse.”

The Isadorable Stakes for Massachusetts-breds is Saturday’s feature race at Suffolk Downs. Lynne Snierson has the preview. Southoftheborder, now 10, returns to defend her title; Tammi Piermarini is on Navy Nurse, making her second start of the year and coming off an allowance win on July 15. Even though seeing her atop the standings has become the norm, it’s still hard not to be a little awed by Piermarini’s stats — she’s won 44 races through the meet’s first eight weeks, 19 more than the second leading rider by wins, Gary Wales. She’s up almost $200,000 over the second by earnings, Jackie Davis.

Promo: Breeders’ Cup Fantasy ‘Capping begins with the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on Saturday. Beat Ray. Join Pete. Or create your own league and play against your friends. Free past performances from the Daily Racing Form and horse bios by Hello Race Fans will help you make your picks.

Posted in Racing on August 2, 2013 / Tagged A. P. Smithwick Stakes, Fantasy 'Capping, Mr. Hot Stuff, Saratoga, Steeplechase, Suffolk Downs

Suffolk, Monday

Half-siblings Beijing House and Eight City Tour are a coupled entry for trainer Tom McCooey in race eight, an AOC going six furlongs on the main track. The elder is a veteran New England champion, the younger 2-for-3 at Suffolk Downs this year; together they’re 7-2 on the morning line. Beijing House is in for a $20,000 tag coming off a starter allowance win on July 10 — that race was the first time he’d found himself in the winner’s circle since June 4, 2012, ending an 10-race losing streak. Eight City Tour’s one loss at the track came going about a mile on the turf on July 15. He cuts back in this spot to the same distance at which he won an allowance on dirt the race before that.

Results: The Brothers Slacks finished out of the money as the 5-2 third favorites. Beijing House was fourth, Eight City Tour sixth.

Posted in Racing on July 28, 2013 / Tagged Beijing House, Eight City Tour, Siblings, Slacks, Suffolk Downs, Tom McCooey

Convocation, Monzante Updates

First, the good news: While thinking of Monzante on Sunday, I wrote a few words about Convocation and the recent downward trajectory of the stakes-placed gelding’s career. Teresa Genaro alleviated any concern by tweeting that his original owners had bought him back to retire him from racing. Ray Paulick has more today about how Suffolk Downs and Don Little of Centennial Farms made that happen after the 7-year-old popped up in the entries for a $4,000 claiming race at the track last week:

The entry raised the eyebrows of several people at Suffolk Downs, including Sam Ellliott, the vice president of racing. Don Little noticed, too, having put Convocation on Daily Racing Form’s Stable Mail, a service that alerts subscribers when a horse is entered to race.

“I never questioned any soundness issues and have nothing against the owner or trainer,” Little told the Paulick Report, “but I know the digression of claiming races and decided we needed to find something else for him to do.”

Little contacted his Centennial partners and began the process of buying Convocation back. Word reached Elliott, who called Assimakopoulos last Tuesday and let him know Centennial was interested in retiring the horse.

“Within two minutes,” Elliott said, “I got a call back from John, and they agreed to do this without hesitation — zero reluctance.”

Convocation was scratched. “It was a seven-horse field, too,” Elliott said. “Racetracks are short of horses and you can’t tell people what to do with their horses. I’m glad I have people in place here who are willing to do the right thing.”

The deal isn’t done yet, but when it is, Convocation has a place to go: Little knows someone interested in retraining the gelding as a trail horse.

Now, the bad news: In the words of Louisiana Racing Commission executive director Charles Gardiner, Monzante “was stabilized” on track, “and in the opinion of the state veterinarians he was very salvageable.” That term isn’t as minimally positive as it might seem, and trainer Jackie Thacker and a private vet made the decision to euthanize the gelding when he returned to the barn. Matt Hegarty reported on Monday that the LRC has opened an investigation into the former G1 winner’s death at Evangeline Downs on Saturday.

For more about Monzante: Keep up via Raceday 360 Wire.

Posted in Racing on July 23, 2013 / Tagged Centennial Farms, Claiming Races, Convocation, Monzante, Suffolk Downs