Suffolk Attracts 192 Entries for Two Programs

Suffolk Downs, which will host the first racing programs this year in Massachusetts, attracted 192 entries for 22 races scheduled for July 9-10 as part of its six-day 2016 race meet.

The Saturday card, which features the $75,000 Jill Jellison Memorial Dash for fillies and mares at five furlongs on the grass, is loaded with horses conditioned by out-of-town trainers. The first two races on the card are steeplechase events.

The Sunday program, with two Massachusetts-bred stakes, drew 90 entries for 11 races.

"We are looking forward to the return of live racing at Suffolk Downs and welcoming back the horses, horsemen and women, and of course, the local racing fans," Suffolk chief operating officer Chip Tuttle said in a release. "I want to thank the efforts of our racing department along with the horsemen and women to put together an exciting weekend of live racing."

First post time for both programs is 12:35 p.m. EDT. Suffolk again received permission from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to reduce pari-mutuel takeout rates to 15% across the board.

The Brockton Fairgrounds, located southeast of Boston, continues to undergo renovations in the hopes of offering at least 15 days of racing this year. Brockton, which has a half-mile track with a five-furlong chute, also needs approval by the MGC to use Race Horse Development Fund money—generated by casino gambling in Massachusetts—for purses.