The Bottom Line
Pros
- Excellent format for showcasing the history of Suffolk Downs
- Many celebrities both equine and human are featured
- A great look back at racing's heyday, something contemporary fans never experienced
- Exclusive use of black and white images makes for easier comparison between decades
Cons
- Sad to see any track decline over time as Suffolk has
Description
- Photos of the facility itself, during initial construction and over several major renovations.
- Photos of memorable racing moments - winners of the Massachusetts Handicap from Seabiscuit to Cigar
- Famous racehorses such as Whirlaway, War Admiral, and Funny Cide
- Famous jockeys including George Woolf, Eddie Arcaro, Chris McCarron, and Jerry Bailey
- Photos of track management and other track personalities, such as owner and promoter Bill Veeck
- Other forms of entertainment that have taken place at the track, including chariot races and boxing
- Celebrity appearances at the track, including a concert by the Beatles
Guide Review - Review: Suffolk Downs (Images of Sports Series) by Christian Teja
Originally compiled for a museum exhibit, Teja sorts the photographs by decade, starting with the 1930's with photos of construction. The track was state-of-the-art, being the first concrete grandstand in America. Aerial photos show how the track changed over multiple renovations, especially the complete overhaul in the 60's. With captions explaining what is occurring in each photo, the result is an entertaining and enlightening walk through the history of Suffolk Downs.You see the many famous jockeys, trainers, and horses who have graced the track, but also the management and announcers, movie stars, champions from other sports, unusual events, and even the Beatles who played at the track in the 1960's. Other notables that are pictured include Bing Crosby, Rin Tin Tin, Michael Dukakis, and heavyweight boxing champ Jim Braddock, the topic of the current movie release "Cinderella Man".
Seabiscuit features prominently in the book, as he raced there early in his career, and then returned in 1937 to win the MassCap. Other notable MassCap winners that are covered include Whirlaway, Riva Ridge, and Cigar.
Draft horses pulled the harrows and mules pulled the starting gate due to wartime gas rationing, and fans participated in air raid drills. And in the 1970's, charismatic owner and promoter Bill Veeck aggressively pitched "jockettes", chariot races, and boxing matches. This book is an easy read since it is mostly pictures, but each picture and its caption tell an interesting story.
