For those who haven’t heard, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted to give the Boston area casino license to Wynn in a neighboring town instead of to Mohegan Sun at the Suffolk Downs. The track has been operating at a loss for some years and has remained open hoping to be saved by the casino bid.
More info here-
I have really mixed feelings about hearing this.
With Suffolk Downs closing, will there be any racing left in New England outside of New York?
I can’t think of any…
I think it’s terrible 
. The story has been all over the news here. I hope the politicians in NH step up and try to get Rockingham going again.
Tex- there is a harness track in southeast MA.
Just harness racing left in Massachusetts.
Strangely enough, Plainville, MA (where the track is located) got the first Massachusetts casino license awarded.
There are other harness racing tracks in New England, I believe, Scarborough Downs in Maine being one, but Suffolk Downs is the last flat racing track.
Sad.
But is it closing for sure? I. Hate. This.
Is Suffolk nice? Always wanted to go there, it looks like a cute old track when it’s on TVG.
Question on Suffolk’s inner rail: It appears to be the old style and is that wood?
Thanks.
Sad to see it go.
But if racing can’t find a away to support itself on it’s own two feet without what is essentially welfare provided by slots, then it guess it needs to go.
Ugh. Very sad. Just harness racing left in NE.
I worked at Suffolk Downs, as a veterinary assistant, back in the late '70s
I’m wondering where the horses are going to end up. To be frank, the TBs who race at Suffolk aren’t, just generalizing, the cream of the OTTB crop…most of the OTTBs I know doing the horse show scene are from VA, MD and PA around here, here in Mass. I’m concenred about where the horses will end up.
[QUOTE=sonomacounty;7764921]
But is it closing for sure? I. Hate. This.
Is Suffolk nice? Always wanted to go there, it looks like a cute old track when it’s on TVG.
Question on Suffolk’s inner rail: It appears to be the old style and is that wood?
Thanks.[/QUOTE]
I can’t speak for the conditions of the track itself, but as Canaqua said, they run cheap horses. A lot of purses under $10K, most horses running for a $5K or less tag.
I worked for an operation that based a string out of Suffolk (obviously I was not with that string). I am sure there are very good horsemen there, but I always got the impression there were also quite the number of horsemen who reeeeeally shouldn’t be training horses… although that is not uncommon at the low levels.
I truly hope they can preserve the grounds and run some sort of short boutique meet, as many other near-defunct tracks have done (Pimlico, Atlantic City, etc.). That is probably the direction that most racetracks will eventually have to head-- the overhead costs to maintain those facilities for year-round racing must be insane. These racetracks were built to bring in thousands on a regular basis and instead have to keep their lights on for maybe a hundred folks huddled around the TVs. Even if they bring in decent handle from simulcasting and online wagering, it’s not a sustainable business model!
Plainville actually got a slots license, not a full casino license.
The whole thing is very complicated. There is a ballot measure in November to overturn the law allowing casinos and slots parlors in MA, so there may not be ANY casino built near Boston. Many people here feel like the state government shoved it down their throats. With gambling revenues down in so many states, and associated social problems more obvious, it just didn’t seem like a good idea to many. Plus there was definite evidence of corruption in the whole process, criminal involvement at some proposed sites, etc.
(just so you know, I do have a bias here as a slots parlor was proposed about 1/2 mile from our house… in a very inappropriate location, and the whole thing was sprung on us with basically no notice. I was involved in getting it defeated. Plainville wants a slots parlor and they have my best wishes.)
The Revere/Suffolk Downs bid was just a reworking of the Boston/Suffolk Downs bid after East Boston voters said no… The track has land in both cities… Traffic in the Revere/Everett area is crazy, even for Boston and adding a casino would make it a nightmare.
Regardless of what happens, yes, Suffolk Downs will be closing. I think it’s sad but more or less inevitable… Racing’s glory days here are long past.
Agree with everyone that this is sad, but probably inevitable. Ever fewer opportunities for “ordinary” people to be in contact with horses, and fewer jobs for horses and horse people.
I am no fan of casino gambling but was willing to support the Suffolk project. Now, I will work for repeal of the bill. No more redeeming social value as far as I can see!
I agree with those that think that it is inevitable. But I think it is just a harbinger of things to come. Equestrian industry as a whole is shrinking, particularly in urban and suburban areas. Livery stables, Carriage horses, race tracks… I wonder whether there will be any equine activities anywhere except extremely rural areas in 20-30 years. 
Also remember that when the track goes, we loose the state bred program, and will thus see eventually the loss of the farms that breed state breds, stand the stallions etc.
[QUOTE=Canaqua;7765254]
Ugh. Very sad. Just harness racing left in NE.
I worked at Suffolk Downs, as a veterinary assistant, back in the late '70s
I’m wondering where the horses are going to end up. To be frank, the TBs who race at Suffolk aren’t, just generalizing, the cream of the OTTB crop…most of the OTTBs I know doing the horse show scene are from VA, MD and PA around here, here in Mass. I’m concenred about where the horses will end up.[/QUOTE]
They are working with CANTER NE to place the horses so that they all have soft landings.
[QUOTE=Judysmom;7766406]
Also remember that when the track goes, we loose the state bred program, and will thus see eventually the loss of the farms that breed state breds, stand the stallions etc.[/QUOTE]
Massachusetts doesn’t have much of a breeding program to lose.
From 2012’s crop, a total of 40 MA-bred thoroughbred foals were registered.
Only 19 of those foals were sired by MA stallions.
And Bloodhorse advertises 10 stallions standing in MA… meaning the sires are averaging less than 2 live foals a year at this rate.
I don’t know if there are rewards programs for MA breeders, but if there are, I can’t imagine they are much of anything with such an incredibly small population.
[QUOTE=yourcolorfuladdiction;7766471]
They are working with CANTER NE to place the horses so that they all have soft landings.[/QUOTE]
We are all over it and we are working with track officials to make sure all have found a safe home. If anyone is thinking about getting an OTTB don’t wait - the track will be permanently closed in a matter of weeks.
While I think the rehoming efforts are great to have and there is always a horse that needs a home, you do realize that just because a track closes does not mean every horse there is immediately sent to the slaughter house, right? The people there will not vanish into thin air, they will move on, most to other tracks, others to farms. The horses will go somewhere else to run, plenty of them are still perfectly usable racehorses. Just because one is running cheap does not mean it is unsound or shouldn’t race at all, they are simply running with their class level. I’m not trying to discourage those trying to help, there are always horses to place.
It’s a shame to see useful smaller tracks closing their doors, we need them. Too many jockeys, pony riders, gate crew, and trainers getting squished together makes it tough for anyone to make a living.
the problem with this track closing is that horses that normally leave for the winter and then return in the spring now no longer have a track to return to in the spring of 2015 which means trainers need to take them with them for the winter meet and pray they find a new home base in the spring, go for the winter meet and then off load them after that, or offload them now and think of their options.
There is A LOT of really nice horses at Suffolk so if anyone is in the market for a nice sport horse prospect; GO SHOPPING before the track closes in a few weeks.
[QUOTE=yourcolorfuladdiction;7766471]
They are working with CANTER NE to place the horses so that they all have soft landings.[/QUOTE]
That’s a awful lot of homes to have to find going into winter. Hope they can pull it off.
This is really a shame. Suffolk really did try to make the track a nice place, both for the horses and the public. It was much better than I had expected. And yes, almost everyone in New England calls it “Sufferin’ Downs” but it wasn’t like that at all. Perhaps they just couldn’t shake that image?
[QUOTE=rcloisonne;7767887]
This is really a shame. Suffolk really did try to make the track a nice place, both for the horses and the public. It was much better than I had expected. And yes, almost everyone in New England calls it “Sufferin’ Downs” but it wasn’t like that at all. Perhaps they just couldn’t shake that image?[/QUOTE]
From what I’ve always heard, they have better-than-average attendance and on-site handle. However, even better-than-average doesn’t cut it these days without outside support. Tracks are expensive to operate and the public interest isn’t what it used to be.
[QUOTE=Canaqua;7765254]
Ugh. Very sad. Just harness racing left in NE.
I worked at Suffolk Downs, as a veterinary assistant, back in the late '70s
I’m wondering where the horses are going to end up. To be frank, the TBs who race at Suffolk aren’t, just generalizing, the cream of the OTTB crop…most of the OTTBs I know doing the horse show scene are from VA, MD and PA around here, here in Mass. I’m concenred about where the horses will end up.[/QUOTE]
I was there in the 70’s and early 80’s too. Was it Dr. Marty? Developers have been salivating over that property for as long as I can remember so even if it made money I’m sure someone would find a way to get hold of it. So sad. More people and horses out of work.
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