JC / Railbird

Suffolk Downs Archive

A Drive Down Memory Lane

Suffolk Downs track superintendent Steve Pini reminisces:

“I remember a time when the starting gate in a route race on the turf course was in front of the grandstand,” laughed Pini. “The driver of the tractor, which would pull the gate away when the horses exited for the start, left the keys in the ignition.

“All of a sudden, a fan ran across the track and tried to steal the starting gate. But he didn’t understand the gears and put the tractor in reverse. He went through part of the hedge on the front side. I remember running into the crowd trying to find the guy. But he disappeared real quick.”

Wonder how far the guy thought he was going to get?

Posted in Suffolk Downs on July 4, 2010

Unsaddling

Southoftheborder after the Rise Jim Stakes at Suffolk Downs. Sent off at 22-1, Southoftheborder finished eleventh in the race, which was won by 10-year-old Mr. Meso. Favored Same Day Pleasure ran fourth. Chart (PDF).

Posted in Suffolk Downs on July 3, 2010

A Midsummer Party

Happy 75th, Suffolk Downs. The last remaining thoroughbred racetrack in New England revealed plans today to celebrate its anniversary on July 10 with giveaways, stakes races, and special guests. No MassCap this year, but jockey Jerry Bailey, who won the track’s signature race four times, twice on Cigar, will be on hand to celebrate, along with fellow Hall of Fame rider Chris McCarron.

Posted in Suffolk Downs on June 29, 2010

Suffolk Stakes Noms Out

Nominations are now out for Suffolk Downs’ 75th anniversary celebration stakes races on July 10. The $75K James B. Moseley Sprint Stakes attracted 37, including Desert Party, pointing to the G1 Forego at Saratoga following his Don LeVine Memorial win at Philadelphia Park, Ancient Title winner Gayego, and Elusive Warning, fifth in the True North Handicap earlier this month. The five-furlong turf Seabiscuit Stakes drew 43, including seven from the barn of trainer Linda Rice, who nominated Mother Russia, a stakes winner at Saratoga last summer, and Canadian Ballet, fifth in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Posted in Suffolk Downs on June 29, 2010

Thanks, Suffolk

Suffolk Downs takes a zero-tolerance stand on slaughter:

Sam Elliott, the track’s vice president for racing, has informed the leadership of the New England Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association that any trainer found to have sold a horse for slaughter will have his stalls revoked and be denied stalls in the future.

Horsemen are in support of the new policy: “There’s no reason why that should happen nowadays,” said New England HBPA president Al Balestra. “There shouldn’t be any horses going to killers” (ThoroTimes).

Related: Eliminating slaughter won’t solve the problem of the unwanted horses. Fran reports from a recent American Horse Council forum on the issue, which doesn’t get the attention of the emotionally-charged anti-slaughter movement, but is even more important.

6/28 additions: Here’s a story that illustrates too well the problem with unwanted horses. Fortunately, Getaway Hall — a harness racer with career earnings of more than $700,000 — was found by good people. And over on Blood-Horse, Alex Brown answers questions about horse rescue and welfare.

Posted in Horse Rescue/Slaughter, Suffolk Downs on June 27, 2008

Congratulations

To T.D. Thornton, winner of the Castleton Lyons- Thoroughbred Times Book Award for “Not By a Long Shot,” (now available in paperback). Complete coverage of the Monograph Mile from Quinella Queen, who rightfully urges all to pick up this winner.

Posted in Books, Suffolk Downs on April 8, 2008

Recommended Reading

The small mess of a mail pile that awaited me on my return home this week contained a delightful surprise: An envelope from PublicAffairs, containing a copy of T.D. Thornton’s marvelous “Not by a Longshot,” which comes out in paperback this April. The book is outfitted with a new cover that captures the dark uncertainties and workaday thrills of racing at a working-class track that Thornton writes about so well. If you haven’t yet read this story of a season at Suffolk Downs, be sure to pick up a copy this spring. By which I mean, buy it — although Thornton told John he supports the subversives who liberated “Not by a Longshot” from Boston bookstores, I’m guessing he wouldn’t mind an occasional royalty check.

Posted in Books, Suffolk Downs on March 14, 2008

Moments of the Year

The best of 2007: Invasor winning the Dubai World Cup; Rags to Riches winning the Belmont; and MassCap day at Suffolk Downs. Happy new year to all, and thanks so much for reading. Best wishes and good racing luck in 2008!

Posted in Suffolk Downs on January 1, 2008

Suffolk Closes Up

Good news from a resurgent Suffolk Downs: The track closed out its 100-day meet on Saturday, the first under owner Richard Fields, reporting big gains for the first time in several years. Average daily attendance was up 22 percent, on-track handle up 14 percent. “By every standard, it’s been a spectacular year for Suffolk Downs,” said Fields (Boston Herald). One of the meet’s high points was the MassCap, brought back after two-year hiatus and won by Brass Hat in front of a cheering crowd of more than 19,000. Meet titles went to perennial leading trainer John Rigattieri and rider Tammi Piermarini, who won the first Suffolk riding title of her career, although she’s often been near the top of the jockey standings in her 20 years riding at the track.

At Aqueduct: Todd Pletcher’s Big A mini-slump ended Sunday when 1-2 favorite Spanky Fischbein caught Piquante Cat in the final yards of the New York Stallion Great White Way, winning by half a length. The trainer had been 0-for-15 at the meet.

Posted in Suffolk Downs on November 12, 2007

Brass Hat Wins MassCap

You could feel the excitement as post time approached. “It’s been too long,” Larry Collmus told the crowd as the field for the first Massachusetts Handicap since 2004 was loaded in the gate for the 1 1/8 mile race.

The bell rang and a cheer went up from the 19,191 fans packing the grandstand. Fairbanks, the 3-5 favorite, bobbled at the break and longshot Fire Striker went to the front, setting slow fractions of :24.45 and :49.37 through the first half. Stalking Fairbanks took the lead at the six furlong mark; Brass Hat, never far behind, moved into contention at the top of the stretch, eventually drawing away to a 3/4 length win and returning $10.20 to his backers. Dr. Pleasure was third, Evening Attire fourth. The final time for the race was 1:49.72. “I love this game!” cried Brass Hat’s groom as he ran towards the track to lead his charge into the winner’s circle.

Owner Fred Bradley couldn’t have been happier with the win: “The horse ran a hell of a race,” he said. “We’ll be back next year, if the horse is sound.”

Brass Hat, unsaddled, heads to the test barn.

Winning jockey Willie Martinez being interviewed after the MassCap.

Watch the replay:

More: “Brass Hat shines in MassCap” (BRIS), “There’s no quit in Brass Hat” (Boston Herald). Brass Hat earned a Beyer speed figure of 98 for the win.

Posted in Suffolk Downs on September 22, 2007 / Tagged 2007 MassCap