East Boston, MA — Live racing returned to Suffolk Downs on Saturday, July 7^th as the track held the second of three scheduled weekend-long racing and food truck festivals. A crowd of 8,110 was on hand for the thirteen-race card.

Dr. Blarney started the day with an emphatic victory under jockey Tammi Piermarini in the $50,000 Last Dance Stakes which was contested as a non-wagering event. The five-year-old gelded son of Dublin, bred in Massachusetts by owner Joseph DiRico has won 14 of his 20 starts and has now claimed three consecutive editions of the Last Dance Stakes.

Also on the card, veteran Khan of Khans notched his 30^th victory of his impressive 108 start career. Trained by Dylan Clarke and owned by his mother, Anne Clarke, the twelve-year-old gelding broke alertly and went to the lead under jockey Luis Perez. He opened up a two-length advantage as they turned for home and dug in gamely to prevail by a neck at the wire to complete about five furlongs on the turf in :59.17.

“We have had him for seven years,” said Dylan Clarke after the race. “For us, winning his 30^th race here at home at Suffolk Downs is one of our most meaningful wins. He is like a family pet. I am hoping to compete with him in the Retired Racehorse Project in 2019.”

A chestnut son of Storm Boot bred in Kentucky, Khan of Khans made his debut in the fall of his juvenile year and broke his maiden the following summer. He has raced continuously since then and has compiled a record of 30-20-7 from 108 starts with $412,397 in earnings.

Suffolk Downs will host the second of three scheduled live racing and food truck festival weekends this Saturday and Sunday, July 7-8.
On Saturday, the average field size is 11 horses per race and 150 total horses have been entered for the day which features over $500,000 in total purses and awards. The featured race is a $50,000 allowance/optional claiming race that is scheduled to be run at a mile and seventy yards on the turf. The race has drawn a full field of ten with one horse listed as an also-eligible. In addition to the featured race, there are six other turf races carded for Saturday.

Over the course of the weekend, there will be three stakes races restricted to horses foaled in Massachusetts –  the $50,000 Last Dance Stakes on Saturday and the $50,000 Louise Kimball Stakes and $50,000 First Episode Stakes on Sunday. The popular Massachusetts-bred Dr. Blarney will be trying to win the Last Dance Stakes for the third consecutive year for owner and breeder Joseph DiRico.

The track will also continue the $5,000 Jockey Challenge for the second weekend. The jockeys will be awarded points based on the their finish position in a race with six points for finishing 1st, five points for 2nd, four points for 3rd, three points for 4th and two points for 5th. For any finish between 6th and last place, one point will be awarded.  At the end of the weekend, the three jockeys that accumulate most points will be awarded a cash bonus of $2000 for 1st, $1500 for 2^nd, $1000 for 3^rd and $500 for 4^th. Dylan Davis took home the top prize in June.

Post time for the 13 race card is at 12:55 p.m. and gates open at 11:00 a.m. In addition to live racing, the track will be hosting a food truck festival featuring food trucks from numerous local vendors, craft beer, live music and family fun activities.

Live racing will continue on Sunday with 13 races and the track will again offer over $500,000 in purses and awards.

East Boston, MA — Live racing returned to Suffolk Downs on Saturday, June 9 as the track kicked off the first of three scheduled weekend-long racing and food truck festivals. A crowd of 9,208 was on hand as Princess Dream won the $50,000 Isadorable Stakes for the second consecutive year.

The five-year-old daughter of Freud, bred in Massachusetts by owner Patricia Moseley, rated off of the pace under jockey Joel Sone and took control at the top of the stretch. She drew clear to win by 2 ¾ lengths and completed the six furlong contest in 1.11.19. Trained by Jonathan Buckley, she earned her fifth career victory and returned $4.20, 2.60 and 2.20.

It was the second winner of the day at Suffolk Downs for owner and breeder Patricia Moseley of Hamilton, Massachusetts. Dream Doctor, a seven-year-old son of Freud, won the ninth race for trainer Tim Wooley. Edwin Gonzalez was aboard for the victory in the $52,500 optional claiming race run at seven and a half furlongs on the turf.

In addition to the success at Suffolk Downs, Moseley also saw La Moneda, a five-year-old full sister to Dream Doctor, win the opening race at Belmont Park. Her multiple graded stakes winner, Proctor’s Ledge, finished second in the $700,000 Just a Game Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park as part of the Belmont Stakes undercard to cap off the day.

“It is great to welcome everyone back and we had a strong crowd in and a very solid program,” said Chip Tuttle, the Chief Operating Officer at Suffolk Downs. “We want to congratulate Patricia Moseley on an outstanding day both here and at Belmont Park.”

Live racing is scheduled to continue on Sunday, June 10 with a card of twelve races including two stakes races for Massachusetts-bred horses. Post time is 12:55 p.m.

Sunday will also mark to the conclusion of the inaugural $5,000 Jockey Challenge in which the riders compete for points over the course of the weekend. Heading into Sunday’s card, jockey Dylan Davis tops the standings with 37 points, 11 ahead of Erik Barbaran in second.

LIVE RACING RETURNS TO SUFFOLK DOWNS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Over $1 Million In Purses and Awards For Festival Weekend  

East Boston, MA — Live Thoroughbred racing will return to Suffolk Downs this weekend with 13 races carded on Saturday and a 12 race card on Sunday.  In addition to live racing, the track will have food trucks, live music, family fun activities and will be simulcasting the Belmont Stakes as Justify tries to sweep the Triple Crown.

On Saturday, the average field size is 11 horses per race and 144 total horses have been entered on the card which features $500,000 in total purses for the day. The featured race is a $52,500 optional claiming race for fillies and mares going one mile on the turf. That race has attracted horses from the barns of top national trainers including Michael Matz, Jason Servis and Jonathan Sheppard in the field of ten. In addition to the featured race, six other races have been carded on the turf.

“Our racing office has put together two strong cards for our opening weekend and we look forward to welcoming back the horses, horsemen and women and local racing fans to Suffolk Downs on what is sure to be a big weekend of racing both with our opening day and the hope of a Triple Crown on the line in the Belmont Stakes,” said Chip Tuttle, the Chief Operating Officer at Suffolk Downs.

Longtime Suffolk Downs-based trainers Jay Bernardini, Dylan Clarke and George Saccardo as well as prominent national outfits including Steve Asmussen and Michael Stidham have entered for the weekend’s races.

Over the course of the weekend, there will be three stakes races restricted to horses foaled in Massachusetts as well as a competitive allowance race on Saturday. The $50,000 Isadorable Stakes will be run on Saturday and will feature Princess Dream, a homebred for Hamilton, Massachusetts-resident Mrs. Patricia Moseley, who will be trying to defend her title in the race after winning the 2017 renewal.

There will be many familiar faces taking part in the opening card including local jockeys Dyn Panell, and Tammi Piermarini, the third most winning female jockey in history. Also on Saturday’s card, popular jockey Robbie Davis will be continuing his comeback aboard Alva T Soup, who he also trains. Davis resumed riding this year after a five year hiatus. His son, Dylan Davis, won his first career race at Suffolk Downs in 2012 and is also named on mounts for the weekend.

Post time for the 13 race card is at 12:55 p.m. and gates open at 11:00 a.m. In addition to live racing, the track will be hosting a food truck festival featuring food trucks from over a dozen vendors, craft beer, live music and family fun activities.

Live racing will continue on Sunday with 12 races including the $50,000 Rise Jim Stakes for Massachusetts-breds which will feature the return of Dr. Blarney, the winner of last year’s running.

In addition to offering purses of over $500,000 per day and lucrative starter incentives for trainers and owners, Suffolk Downs has established a $5,000 Jockey Challenge for each weekend of live racing this summer. The track is scheduled to hold three live racing and food truck festival weekends – June 9-10, July 7-8 and August 4-5.

The jockeys will be awarded points based on the their finish position in a race with six points for finishing 1^st, five points for 2^nd, four points for 3^rd, three points for 4^thand two points for 5^th. For any finish between 6^th and last place, one point will be awarded.  At the end of the weekend, the three jockeys that accumulate most points will be awarded a cash bonus of $2500 for 1^st, $1500 for 2^nd and $1000 for 3^rd.

“We are looking forward to welcoming back some familiar members of the jockey colony as well as some new faces and hope that the Jockey Challenge will add another level of excitement to the weekend,” said Lou Raffetto, Senior Racing Consultant to Suffolk Downs.

In addition to live racing, the three festival weekends are scheduled to include food trucks, family fun activities and live music. Post time is scheduled for 12:55 p.m.

Continue reading SUFFOLK DOWNS ENTERS AGREEMENT TO LEASE GREAT BARRINGTON FAIRGROUNDS; PLAN TO REFURBISH HISTORIC PROPERTY, PRESERVE LIVE RACING IN MASSACHUSETTS…

East Boston, MA — Live racing will return to Suffolk Downs this summer with three two-day racing festivals and the track announced today a purse increase of 15% on overnight purses. The three festival weekends are scheduled to be held June 9-10, July 7-8 and August 4-5.

In 2017, the track conducted four weekends of live racing with an average daily purse of $493,095, including incentives.

The track offered lucrative starter incentives for trainers at $400 per horse and owners were rewarded with $500 for horses finishing first through fifth (on top of purse money) while the owners of horses finishing sixth through last received a bonus of $1,500. This incentive program will continue in 2018.

“We are looking forward to another season of racing and we are glad to be able to continue to reward the horsemen and women who have supported our festival weekends, especially those who stabled here in the past,” said Chip Tuttle, the Chief Operating Officer at Suffolk Downs. “We understand that asking people to ship in for each weekend requires that we ensure some return on their investment and we expect that we’ll be over $500,000 per day in purses with this increase. We appreciate the cooperation of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in making these weekends a success.”

With the 15% purse increase for 2018, $5,000 claiming races will now carry a purse of $30,000, maiden special weight races will offer a purse of $47,500 and allowance/optional claiming races will be listed at $52,500, pending approval by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

The track is also scheduled to host a stakes race both weekends in July and August and those black-type events will have a purse of $100,000. The first weekend of racing, June 9-10, will coincide with the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes.

Over the course of each weekend, there will be stakes races restricted to either horses foaled in Massachusetts or sired by a Massachusetts-based stallion. Each offers a purse of $50,000 and is a showcase for the Massachusetts Thoroughbred breeding industry.

In addition to live racing, the track will be hosting a food truck festival each weekend featuring food trucks from a variety of local vendors, craft beer, live music and family fun activities for the whole family.

Suffolk Downs hosted the final of four scheduled live racing and food truck festival weekends of the year and concluded the 2017 season on Sunday with a nine-race card.

The day started with the $50,000 Thomas F. Moran Stakes, a seven and a half furlong turf contest restricted to horses bred in Massachusetts. Silent Waters, a four-year-old son of Silent Name (JPN) bred by Nine Maple Farm, Inc, made every call a winning one and drew off to win by seven lengths under jockey Rosario Montanez for trainer Carlos Martin.

Silent Waters returned $3.20, 2.20 and 2.00. Danly’s Dream, the defending winner of the Thomas F. Moran Stakes, paid $3.40 and 2.20. There was no show wagering.

In the eighth and featured race, the Linda Rice-trainee Nite Delite notched the seventh victory of her career with a one-length victory. The five-year-old daughter of War Chant stalked the pace under jockey Mike Luzzi before launching a bid and battling with a resolute Maggiesfreuddnslip in the stretch. She stopped the clock in 1:00 over a yielding turf course.

Nite Delite paid $3.40, 2.40 and 2.00. Maggiesfreuddnslip returned $6.20 and 3.20 while Elandess paid $3.00.

The 2017 live racing season at Suffolk Downs consisted of eight days of live racing featuring $4 million in purses including stakes races forMassachusetts-bred horses. The track intends to operate a similar live racing schedule in 2018.

Suffolk Downs remains open for simulcasting year-round.

East Boston, MA — A total of 204 horses have been entered over two days as Suffolk Downs will host its fourth and final racing and food truck festival weekend of the year this Saturday and Sunday, September 30 and October 1.

The field of eight in Saturday’s featured race on the turf includes Fuerza, a homebred daughter of War Front for Ramona S. Bass who broke her maiden on September 2 at Suffolk Downs for trainer Michael Matz. She will be facing the Bill Mott-trained Tisbury and Larkin, the Godolphin Racing color bearer trained Michael Stidham. In addition to familiar local jockeys David Amiss and Tammi Piermarini, the featured race has also attracted journeymen riders such as Mike Luzzi and Luis Quinones.

On Sunday, the nine-race card will begin with the $50,000 Thomas F. Moran Stakes which is restricted to horses bred in Massachusetts. The seven and a half furlong turf race will feature the defending champion, Danly’s Dream, and multiple stakes winner Dr. Blarney who has won eleven of his fifteen career races.

Post time for the nine race card on both days is at 12:35 p.m. and gates open at 11:00 a.m. In addition to live racing, the track will be hosting a food truck festival, craft beers and family fun activities.

The 2017 live racing season at Suffolk Downs will have consisted of eight days of live racing featuring $4 million in purses including stakes races for Massachusetts-bred horses. The track intends to operate a similar live racing schedule in 2018.

Suffolk Downs remains open for simulcasting year-round.

EAST BOSTON, MA – Suffolk Downs concluded the third of four scheduled weekend long live racing and food truck festivals on Sunday, September 3 with the $50,000 Massachusetts Stallion Stakes.

Jeb, a five-year-old daughter of Zong bred in Massachusetts by Kenneth Posco, went to post as the favorite and delivered with a 1 ¼ length victory in the six-furlong contest. Ridden by Luis Perez and trained by Dylan Clarke, the chestnut mare contested the early lead before seizing command and drawing off to earn her seventh career victory.

“She is just such a nice filly,” said Dylan Clarke, who also teamed up with Perez to win the first race with Massachusetts-bred Grady. “This weekend has been great. It is so rewarding to get to come back to Suffolk Downs with my family and have this kind of success. I have a great team.”

Jeb returned $4.80, 3.00 and 2.20. Spectacularsociano paid $3.60 and 2.60 while Brokers Prize paid $2.20.

Also on the card, jockey Edwin Gonzalez piloted home three winners on the eleven-race program. Gonzalez kicked off his trifecta in the second race with Golden Story ($7.00) for trainer Michael Stidham. In the third race, he teamed up with Steve Klesaris for a victory with Escape to the Moon ($4.80). He and Stidham paired up again to win the night cap with Sophieshardtocatch ($3.60).

The live racing and food truck festivals will continue with the final weekend scheduled to be held on September 30 and October 1.