Suffolk Downs
Encyclopedia
Suffolk Downs, a thoroughbred
race track
in East Boston, Massachusetts
, United States
opened in 1935. Famous horses that have raced at this track include Seabiscuit
, Whirlaway
, Funny Cide
and Cigar
. The MassCap is held there, as well at the annual Hot Dog Safari. The track is a one-mile dirt oval with a seven-furlong inner turf track.
. The first MassCap was held that year. The track raced through World War II
. On 18 August 1966, The Beatles
played a concert before approximately 24,000 music fans in the infield of Suffolk Downs. Between 1990 and 1991 there was no racing at Suffolk. In 1992, this was resolved when a deal was brokered between Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park
. In 1995 the Massachusetts Handicap returned from a six-year hiatus with a victory by Cigar. The track is conveniently accessed by public transportation via the Suffolk Downs MBTA subway station
on the Blue Line
. In 2007, the track had an influx of new ownership, vowing to improve the success and future of Suffolk Downs.
In 2008, Suffolk Downs became the first race track in the country to implement a zero-tolerance policy toward those who slaughter horses. The policy states that if a horse from Suffolk Downs is sold for slaughter, the trainer and owner of that horse will be barred from the grounds for life.
The track is the host to numerous overnight handicaps and minor stakes.
Notable Stakes
Other Stakes:
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
race track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
in East Boston, Massachusetts
East Boston, Massachusetts
East Boston is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, with approximately 40,000 residents. The community was created by connecting several islands using landfill and was annexed by Boston in 1836. East Boston is separated from the rest of the city by Boston Harbor and bordered by Winthrop,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
opened in 1935. Famous horses that have raced at this track include Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
, Whirlaway
Whirlaway
Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....
, Funny Cide
Funny Cide
Funny Cide is a Thoroughbred race horse who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in 2003. He is the first New York-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the first gelding to win since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.-Bloodlines:...
and Cigar
Cigar (horse)
Cigar , is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, who in 1995 and 1996 became the first American racehorse racing against top-class competition to win 16 consecutive races since the Triple Crown winner, Citation did so in 1948 and 1950...
. The MassCap is held there, as well at the annual Hot Dog Safari. The track is a one-mile dirt oval with a seven-furlong inner turf track.
History
The track was founded in 1935 after pari-mutuel wagering was legalized in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The first MassCap was held that year. The track raced through World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On 18 August 1966, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
played a concert before approximately 24,000 music fans in the infield of Suffolk Downs. Between 1990 and 1991 there was no racing at Suffolk. In 1992, this was resolved when a deal was brokered between Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park
Rockingham Park
Rockingham Park is a horse racing establishment in Salem, New Hampshire, in the United States. First built in 1906, it was used as an area for many to gamble on the weekends. Seabiscuit raced there in 1935 and 1936, and Mom's Command ran in her first race and gained her first victory there in...
. In 1995 the Massachusetts Handicap returned from a six-year hiatus with a victory by Cigar. The track is conveniently accessed by public transportation via the Suffolk Downs MBTA subway station
Suffolk Downs (MBTA station)
Suffolk Downs is a station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Blue Line, which runs between Bowdoin station, near Beacon Hill in Boston, and the Wonderland station in Revere, Massachusetts...
on the Blue Line
Blue Line (MBTA)
The Blue Line is one of four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority serving Downtown, East Boston and the North Shore. It runs from northeast to southwest, extending from Wonderland station in Revere, Massachusetts to Bowdoin station near Beacon Hill in Boston...
. In 2007, the track had an influx of new ownership, vowing to improve the success and future of Suffolk Downs.
In 2008, Suffolk Downs became the first race track in the country to implement a zero-tolerance policy toward those who slaughter horses. The policy states that if a horse from Suffolk Downs is sold for slaughter, the trainer and owner of that horse will be barred from the grounds for life.
Racing
Notable Stakes
| Race | Age | Distance | Pures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Handicap G3 Massachusetts Handicap The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently an Ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt. The race received... |
(3 & Up) | 9 furlongs | $500,000 |
| James B. Moseley Sprint Handicap | (3 & Up) | 6 furlongs | $100,000 |
Other Stakes:
| Race | Age | Distance | Pures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drumtop Stakes | (F&M 3&Up) | 6 furlongs | $50,000 |
| Robert M. O’Malley Memorial | (3 & Up) | 5 furlongs (T) | $50,000 |
| Isadorable Stakes (MA) | (F&M 3&Up) | 6 furlongs | NA |
| My Fair Lady Stakes | (F&M 3&Up) | 1 mile & 1/16 (T) | NA |
| Last Dance Stakes (MA) | (3 & Up) | 1 mile & 70 yards | NA |
| First Episode Stakes (MA) | (F&M 3&Up) | 1 mile & 70 yards | NA |
| Old Ironsides Stakes | (3 & Up) | 1 mile & 1/16 (T) | NA |
| Waquoit Stakes | (3 & Up) | 1 & 1/16 mile | NA |
| Mom’s Command | (F&M 3&Up) | 5 furlongs (T) | NA |
| Rudy Baez | (3 & Up) | 6 furlongs | NA |
| Rise Jim | (3 & Up) | 6 furlongs | NA |
Ownership
- Eastern Racing Association: 1935-June 20, 1968
- Realty Equities, Inc.: June 20, 1968-February 17, 1971
- Ogden Suffolk Downs, Inc. February 17, 1971-June 26, 1986
- Belle Isle Limited Partnership (Led by Buddy LeRoux and Al Curran): June 26, 1986-September 1, 1996
- leased to Sterling Suffolk Race Course Inc. (Led by James B. Moseley and John L. Hall) April 6, 1991-September 1, 1996
- Sterling Suffolk Race Course Inc. (Led by James B. Moseley, John L. Hall, and Joseph O'Donnell) September 1, 1996-April 3, 2007
- Coastal Development Massachusetts, LLC: April 3, 2007 – Present
Presidents
- Bayard Tuckerman, Jr.: 1935
- Charles F. Adams: 1935 - December 16, 1937
- James H. Connors: December 16, 1937–1939
- Charles F. Adams: 1939 - February 20, 1944
- Gordon B. Hanlon: February 20, 1944 – 1945
- Allan J. Wilson: 1945 - 1946
- John C. Pappas: 1946 - 1965
- David Haber: 1965-June 20, 1968
- Bill VeeckBill VeeckWilliam Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
: June 20, 1968 - February 17, 1971 - Joseph E. Cresci: 1971-1974
- William F. Connell: 1974 - 1985
- John MacAniff: 1985-June 26, 1986
- Al Curran: June 26, 1986-April 6, 1991
- John L. Hall: April 6, 1991-April 3 – Present