Personalities from its historic past, throw-back promotions, a tee shirt
giveaway and two $75,000 stakes races will help Suffolk Downs celebrate its 75th
anniversary on on July 10, the Boston track has announced.
Hall of Fame jockeys Chris McCarron and Jerry Bailey and local favorite
Abigail Fuller will return to Suffolk Downs for a special program commemorating
great moments from the track’s history.
The $75,000 Seabiscuit S. at five furlongs on the turf and the $75,000 James
B. Moseley Sprint S. at six furlongs on the main track will highlight the racing
program.
Buddy Marino of Revere, Massachusetts, who attended the track’s opening day
on July 10, 1935, will be on hand for a winner’s circle presentation.
The day will feature a series of turn-back-the-clock elements, including a
carousel, carnival games, 1930s era street performers, a Dixieland band, bugler,
antique cars, and trolley service from the Suffolk Downs MBTA station to the
main Clubhouse entrance. A display of photos and memorabilia from throughout the
track’s history, including an original barbershop chair and a row of authentic
1935 Grandstand seats, will be on display on the first floor of the Clubhouse.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino will present a proclamation commemorating Suffolk
Downs’ 75th anniversary. Officials from the neighboring communities of East
Boston, Revere, Winthrop, and Chelsea and representatives from area Chambers of
Commerce and neighborhood groups will join in marking the 75th anniversary.
“For 75 years, Suffolk Downs has been a well-known sports venue filled with
tradition and rich history,” Mayor Menino said. “I am excited to be
celebrating the track’s 75th anniversary and hope that its history continues to
grow.”
The first 5,000 fans who pay admission to the track will receive a
commemorative tee shirt with the track’s 75th anniversary logo and all
admissions and parking revenue from the day will be donated to local community
charities.
“Suffolk Downs has been one of the area’s premier sports and entertainment
venues since 1935 and we’re looking forward to celebrating our legacy with some
old friends, our neighbors and racing fans from across New England on July 10 as
we look ahead to the next 75 years,” Suffolk Downs principal owner Richard
Fields said.
McCarron, a Dorchester, Massachusetts, native who began his racing career
working on the backstretch at Suffolk Downs, will discuss his riding career and
his famous victory aboard hometown favorite Waquoit in the 1987 Massachusetts
H., immortalized by track announcer Jim Hannon’s call, at a kick-off event at
the track on July 8.
McCarron, who retired in 2002 as the all-time leader in career purse earnings
among jockeys, recorded 7,141 wins, including two each in the Kentucky Derby
(G1), Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1). He was inducted into Thoroughbred
racing’s Hall of Fame in 1989. McCarron is currently the Executive Director of
the North American Racing Academy in Lexington, Kentucky. McCarron founded the
school in 2006 to teach aspiring jockeys the horsemanship and life skills needed
to become a successful jockey.
Bailey, currently the color analyst for ESPN’s horse racing telecasts, won
the Massachsuetts H. four times in a seven-year span, including consecutive
triumphs aboard the legendary Cigar in 1995 and 1996 as part of the Hall of Fame
Thoroughbred’s 16-race win streak. Bailey, who was inducted into racing’s Hall
of Fame in 1995, retired in 2006 with 5,893 wins, capturing each of the three
Triple Crown races twice.
Fuller, the daughter of prominent local businessman and horse owner Peter
Fuller, began her career as a jockey in 1982 and competed at Suffolk Downs for
two decades, gaining national acclaim in 1985 when she went out of town to ride
Mom’s Command to New York’s prestigious Triple Tiara for her father and trainer
Ned Allard. Mom’s Command was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. Fuller
also served as a racing analyst at Suffolk Downs and has continued to work with
horses in various capacities.
“So many people have made their mark on our great history and we are
privileged to welcome some of them back to help us celebrate this special
occasion,” said Chip Tuttle, Chief Operating Officer of Suffolk Downs. “Chris,
Jerry and Abby are just three of the countless prominent racing personalities
who have put their considerable talents on display for our loyal racing fans
over the last 75 years.”
Built by 3,000 workers in just 62 days, the historic track opened on July 10,
1935 and has been a showcase for some of the most famous names in Thoroughbred
racing history, including Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, Riva Ridge, Cigar and Skip
Away.
The track’s rich tradition extends beyond Thoroughbred racing. On August 18,
1966, the Beatles took the stage on the racetrack for an historic performance,
one of their last official concerts as a group. Over 25,000 fans packed the
house to witness what would prove to be the Beatles’ final Boston appearance.