Suffolk optimistic about new season
Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer at Suffolk Downs, said everyone at the track is excited to get going again.
"There's always a sense of renewal with any opening day," he said. "The fact that ours falls on the same day as the Kentucky Derby is very positive in terms of the vibe and the feel."
Today is an important day for the track, another being Sept. 20, the day of the Massachusetts Handicap.
"There are four or five times a year when it's great to be a horse player and this is one of them," said Tuttle. "Especially for us in New England, the Triple Crown events, and the MassCap, and the Breeders' Cup, and some of the bigger days from Saratoga. We'll have a good, enthusiastic crowd. Every day for the last few years, we've had more and more people show up on opening day, so we're hoping that trend continues as well."
One reason for the change is the proactive influence of Richard Fields, the newest member of the ownership group.
"For a few years, I think the mind-set was, 'Hold on and let's see what happens,' " said Tuttle. "Richard is not a 'let's hold on' type of guy. [His attitude was] we're going to do things, we're going to try things. We're going to do the right things and if they don't work, we're going to try something else. So it's a different mind-set and people are responding to it. We've seen fans respond to it with the boost in attendance we got last year. And we've seen horsemen respond to it this year in terms of their increasing numbers on the backstretch and their commitment to New England racing.
"We know the main attraction on a day like [today] is the Kentucky Derby. We're going to have some quality local horses who, hopefully, people are going to be able to follow through the entire summer here."
In addition to the races, the track is offering some fan-friendly features such as a handicapping seminar for beginners after the first race.
As much as there is optimism with a new season beginning, it's also a difficult time in the racing industry. Former WBZ sportscaster Bob Neumeier, who will serve as analyst during NBC's coverage of the Derby, said he believes racing in this area will continue to face an uphill battle.
"I'd like to say yes [there has been a resurgence in racing here]," said Neumeier. "But I think the reality is no. I think that's a problem that a lot of tracks like Suffolk Downs throughout the country face. They're fighting like heck for their share of the pie. Many tracks are looking at slot machines to try to boost handle and raise awareness because people seem to like to gamble on slot machines perhaps more so than they do betting on the racing.
"Suffolk, like many other tracks and venues across the country, have politically tried to put in slot machines to help the game. They've put them in Louisiana, they've put them in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and we've seen bumps in handles in all three of those locales. Until they do that in Boston, I think Suffolk Downs will be fighting tooth and nail to maintain its existence."
Suffolk Downs is introducing the Fan Photo Experience, which will enable people to get their photos taken with a horse and jockey. The area, located at the main clubhouse entrance, will be open Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays when there is live racing. Normal hours are 12:15-2:15 p.m., with expanded hours on special racing days.
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