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Suffolk Downs Archive

Mayor Invites Suffolk Casino

Sensing an opportunity in the dispute between the newly-recognized Mashpee Wampanoags of Cape Code and the town of Middleborough over demands that the tribe pay for millions of dollars in infrastructure costs if it wants to build a casino, Boston mayor Tom Menino “gamely invited the tribe today to build its gambling complex at the Suffolk Downs racetrack in East Boston” (Boston Globe). The tribe would have to overcome some hurdles to make that happen, including getting around a Department of Interior rule requiring Indian-owned casinos be located within a 50-mile radius of tribal land.
Menino may get his wish for a casino at Suffolk anyway, regardless of whether or not it’s run by the Wampanoags. According to a report in the Boston Herald:

An administration panel appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick to study the gambling issue is leaning heavily toward the all-inclusive casino model that mixes shopping, entertainment and hotels as well as gambling halls, say industry executives and insiders.

That could be good news for Suffolk — and it would certainly be good news for new owner Richard Fields, casino developer — but bad for Massachusetts dog and harness track owners, long-time proponents of racino-style slots. [Thanks to SS for the Globe link.]

Posted in Suffolk Downs on July 12, 2007

MassCap Monkey

T.D. Thornton, author of the excellent new book “Not by a Longshot,” said many good and interesting things about slots, racing, and great horses in today’s Blood-Horse chat, but this exchange just might be the highlight:

Peabody, MA: When I went to the MassCap when Cigar ran there was a MassCap monkey. He was not there when Offlee Wild won the race. Can you tell management to bring back the monkey?

Thornton: If you ever see one of these Blood-Horse chats and wonder if acquaintances of the guest ever try to sneak through an inside joke or two, this is your proof right here. This is a strange-but-true press box tale from the days of yore at Suffolk, when we actually did hire an organ-grinding monkey to roam through the crowd and entertain the fans on big racing days. We used to have a rather nice (but somewhat batty) old lady who constantly called the track to ask — of all things — when the monkey was going to be back for a repeat performance. It was a riot, because we had just delivered the best horse in the world (Cigar) to the Boston fans two years in a row, and here was this woman, very insistent and earnest, about how the “MassCap Monkey” was the star of the show. Gotta give the people what they want, I guess.

The MassCap will be run this year on September 22 after a two year hiatus. New track owner Richard Fields is offering substantial bonuses to attract a strong field; there’s been no mention of a monkey.

Posted in Suffolk Downs on June 28, 2007

MassCap Coming Back

Reports the Boston Herald today:

In a move that is already generating buzz in racing circles, Fields and his fellow track owners are weighing plans to spend well over $1 million on the event …

“Bringing back the historic MassCap is just one component of our extensive plan to return racing to greatness at Suffolk Downs,” [lead owner Richard Fields] said in a statement.

He and fellow owners, who include Hub concessionnaire Joseph O’Donnell, are now busy hammering out the details of their plan to bring back the MassCap, most likely in September.

The Massachusetts Handicap dates back to Suffolk Downs’ opening in 1935 and was a G2 race until this year; it lost its graded status after being cancelled two years running. Its last renewal was in 2004, when Offlee Wild, Funny Cide, and The Lady’s Groom treated a packed grandstand to a thrilling three-way stretch duel in which Offlee Wild prevailed by a nose.

Posted in Suffolk Downs on May 23, 2007

On This Day …

– “On this day in 1936, Tom Smith, an experienced horse trainer, spied an unlikely looking three-year-old Thoroughbred on the track at East Boston’s Suffolk Downs.” [Thanks to our friend Bill for the link.]
– Trainer John Rigattieri “is on a winning streak not seen at Suffolk Downs since John F. Kennedy was known only as a Harvard student.” The trainer kept the streak alive on Saturday with one win, on Monday with two, on Tuesday with another two, and on Wednesday with an impressive four wins out of the day’s nine races.

Posted in Suffolk Downs on June 29, 2006

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