HECTOR DIAZ, JR. HITS A TRIPLE ON SUNDAY AT SUFFOLK DOWNS; RUBENSILVERA WINS $5,000 JOCKEY CHALLENGE

East Boston, MA — SuffolkDowns hosted the final of four scheduled live racing and food truck festivalweekends of the year and concluded the 2018 season on Sundaywith an eleven-race card. Jockey Hector Diaz, Jr. rode three winners on the day andRuben Silvera swept the $5,000 Jockey Challenge.

“We arevery happy about the way these festival weekends have turned out and thesupport they have gotten from the local horsemen and horsewomen,” said Chip Tuttle, the Chief Operating Officer at SuffolkDowns. “As part of our ongoing partnership with the New England HBPA and theMassachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, we plan to file a request fordates in 2019 with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission by the end of themonth.”

Jockey Hector Diaz,Jr. kicked off his triple in the second race with a win aboard Stormy Change($3.80) for trainer Gregory Sacco. He piloted King of New York ($10.40) tovictory in the seventh race for trainer David Donk and took the featured ninthrace with Diamond Play ($6.00) for Kelly Breen.

Suffolk Downs also concludedthe fourth $5,000 Jockey Challenge of the year in which the riders compete forpoints over the course of the weekend. Jockey Ruben Silvera took home the topprize of $2,000 and led the standings with 41 points. Erik Barbaran finishedsecond with 40 points for a prize of $1,500 while Jose Baez and PedroMonterrey, Jr. tied for third with 36 points each and each received $750.

The2018 live racing season at Suffolk Downs consisted of eight days of live racingfeaturing over $4 million in purses and awards including stakes races for Massachusetts-bred horses. The track remains openyear-round for simulcasting and intends to request live racing dates for 2019from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.