NTRA release

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 Saturday in East Boston, Mass. 

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.  Meanwhile, the $75,000 Seabiscuit Stakes, to be run at five furlongs on the turf, and the $75,000 James B. Moseley Sprint Stakes, a six furlong event on the main track, will highlight the racing program.

Buddy Marino of nearby Revere, Mass., will be on hand for a special winner’s circle presentation. Marino attended the track’s Opening Day on July 10th in 1935.

The day will also 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.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino will present a proclamation commemorating Suffolk Downs’ 75th anniversary. 

“For 75 years, Suffolk Downs has been a well-known sports venue filled with tradition and rich history,” said Mayor Menino. “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.

McCarron, a Dorchester, Mass., native retired in 2002 as the all-time leader in career purse earnings among jockeys.  He recorded 7,141 wins, including two each in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.  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, Ky.  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 Massachusetts Handicaap four times in a seven-year span, including consecutive triumphs aboard the legendary Cigar in 1995 and 1996 as part of Cigar’s 16-race win streak.  Bailey, who was inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in 1995, retired in 2006 with 5,893 wins.  He also captured 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 her father’s horse, Mom’s Command, to New York’s prestigious Filly Triple Crown.  Mom’s Command was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. 

“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 10th, 1935 and has been a showcase for some of the most famous names in Thoroughbred racing history, including Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, John Henry, Cigar and Skip Away.