40 | Lexington’s Colonial Times Magazine SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2009

Photos: Top, Horseshoe Inspector Paul C. Brooker. Center, – A Sport of Tammi Piermarini A Day at the Races on her horse, Four Four Kings for Two. Bottom, A cooling Common spray after the race.

victory in the firstMassCap. In 1937 the Enjoyment legendary with jockey Johnny “Red” Pollard won the uffolk Downs in a Mecca for third running of the Mass- horse race lovers. Thoroughbreds Cap in record time before Slove to race, and those who come 40,000 cheering fans. to watch are thrilled by the sport. When the trumpets sound, all eyes are on the track Behind every to watch a race that is over in a little over thoroughbred there is a a minute and a half. The announcer on the team of professionals loudspeaker shouts the position of the horses that includes the owner, as they round the turns and head to the finish trainer, groom, horseshoer, line. veterinarian, exerciser, and jockey. A typical dates back to 3000- day at the track begins 4000BC. It is referenced in Norse mythol- at 5:00am. The groom ogy. Chariot races were popular in Greek and washes and brushes down Roman times. the horses on his watch Today’s thoroughbreds trace their and feeds them their lineage back to three foundation sires brought individual rations of hay, to England from the Mediterranean Middle timothy, and alfalfa, along East in the 17th Century. They were known with vitamins, electrolytes as the Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arabian and water. Feet are checked and Byerly Turk, named after their owners, for stones. Horseshoes are Article & photos by Thomas Darley, Lord Godolphin, and Captain checked. The tack—bridles, Robert Byerly. These horses were tall and saddles and girth—are Deirdre Niemann slender with long legs and sturdy hind quar- cleaned and oiled. The ters.. They were ideally proportioned for long horses are then taken to the distance racing. track for an exercise routine. Descendents of these three stallions were This is followed by a walk crossed with English mares, giving rise to around the track or on an “thoroughbreds”, some of whose offspring exercise machine. All of this were sent to America. There is a record of is completed by 11:00am, horse racing in America in 1664. Gover- following which there is nor Samual Ogle of Maryland inaugurated a period of rest before the in Maryland in 1775, the afternoon races. same year that Paul Revere made his famous Track visitors are a this year for East Day. ride. friendly group that enjoys the repartee that Suffolk Downs is committed to the life- Thoroughbred racing came to Massa- comes with a sharing of knowledge on horses, time care of its thoroughbreds. When their chusetts in 1934, when the Commonwealth jockeys and their accomplishments. They racing days are over, they seek to place retired of Massachusetts created the State Racing all have Racing Forms and a high percentage animals in good homes. Some have value Commission and legalized pari-mutual place wagers on an individual horse or group as potential stallions or brood mares. Others wagering. The Eastern Racing Association of horses to Win, Place, or Show, with $2.00 may transition to compete in dressage events procured 200 acres of mudflats in East Boston the minimum wager. Wagers can also be or show jumping. Suffolk Downs works and Revere and hired A.G. Tomasello & Son placed on races at tracks other than Suffolk with organizations such as the Communica- as the contractor to build a racing facility with Downs, with the races simulcast on screens tion Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex- a grandstand for 16,000, clubhouse for 5000, throughout the clubhouse before an enthusias- racehorses of (CANTER New track and paddock. It was completed in a tic audience. England) and The Thoroughbred Retirement Photos: record 62 days. Suffolk Downs in more than a race- Foundation. Top, No. 7 heads to On July 10, 1935, Suffolk Downs track. It is a cultural and community center. The more one learns about the history the gate. Center, The opened its doors. In its inaugural year Suf- It has produced major fund raisers for the of thoroughbred racing, the horses in the Joey Fund and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. starting gate at Suf- folk Downs began its greatest tradition, the winning circle and the jockeys who ride them, . It offered big Musical concerts have included The Beatles the more fun it is to visit Suffolk Downs for a folk Downs. Bottom: purse money and attracted some of races big- in 1955, Aerosmith and The Jackson Five in day at the races. -/- Coming into the final gest names, both equine and human. Hall of the ‘70s. Kool and the Gang, a top-of-the- charts R&B group, performed there in August stretch. Fame jockey rode Top Row to SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2009 Lexington’s Colonial Times Magazine | 41

Photos: Suffolk Downs Top, Horseshoe Inspector Paul C. Brooker. Center, – A Sport of Jockey Tammi Piermarini A Day at the Races on her horse, Four Four Kings for Two. Bottom, A cooling REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION Common spray after the race.

victory in the firstMassCap. In 1937 the Enjoyment legendary Seabiscuit with jockey Johnny “Red” Pollard won the uffolk Downs in a Mecca for third running of the Mass- horse race lovers. Thoroughbreds Cap in record time before Slove to race, and those who come 40,000 cheering fans. to watch are thrilled by the sport. When the trumpets sound, all eyes are on the track Behind every to watch a race that is over in a little over thoroughbred there is a a minute and a half. The announcer on the team of professionals loudspeaker shouts the position of the horses that includes the owner, as they round the turns and head to the finish trainer, groom, horseshoer, line. veterinarian, exerciser, and jockey. A typical Horse racing dates back to 3000- day at the track begins 4000BC. It is referenced in Norse mythol- at 5:00am. The groom ogy. Chariot races were popular in Greek and washes and brushes down Roman times. the horses on his watch Today’s thoroughbreds trace their and feeds them their lineage back to three foundation sires brought individual rations of hay, to England from the Mediterranean Middle timothy, and alfalfa, along East in the 17th Century. They were known with vitamins, electrolytes as the Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arabian and water. Feet are checked and Byerly Turk, named after their owners, for stones. Horseshoes are Article & photos by Thomas Darley, Lord Godolphin, and Captain checked. The tack—bridles, Robert Byerly. These horses were tall and saddles and girth—are Deirdre Niemann slender with long legs and sturdy hind quar- cleaned and oiled. The ters.. They were ideally proportioned for long horses are then taken to the distance racing. track for an exercise routine. Descendents of these three stallions were This is followed by a walk crossed with English mares, giving rise to around the track or on an “thoroughbreds”, some of whose offspring exercise machine. All of this were sent to America. There is a record of is completed by 11:00am, horse racing in America in 1664. Gover- following which there is nor Samual Ogle of Maryland inaugurated a period of rest before the thoroughbred racing in Maryland in 1775, the afternoon races. same year that Paul Revere made his famous Track visitors are a this year for East Boston Day. ride. friendly group that enjoys the repartee that Suffolk Downs is committed to the life- Thoroughbred racing came to Massa- comes with a sharing of knowledge on horses, time care of its thoroughbreds. When their chusetts in 1934, when the Commonwealth jockeys and their accomplishments. They racing days are over, they seek to place retired of Massachusetts created the State Racing all have Racing Forms and a high percentage animals in good homes. Some have value Commission and legalized pari-mutual place wagers on an individual horse or group as potential stallions or brood mares. Others wagering. The Eastern Racing Association of horses to Win, Place, or Show, with $2.00 may transition to compete in dressage events procured 200 acres of mudflats in East Boston the minimum wager. Wagers can also be or show jumping. Suffolk Downs works and Revere and hired A.G. Tomasello & Son placed on races at tracks other than Suffolk with organizations such as the Communica- as the contractor to build a racing facility with Downs, with the races simulcast on screens tion Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex- a grandstand for 16,000, clubhouse for 5000, throughout the clubhouse before an enthusias- racehorses of New England (CANTER New track and paddock. It was completed in a tic audience. England) and The Thoroughbred Retirement Photos: record 62 days. Suffolk Downs in more than a race- Foundation. Top, No. 7 heads to On July 10, 1935, Suffolk Downs track. It is a cultural and community center. The more one learns about the history the gate. Center, The opened its doors. In its inaugural year Suf- It has produced major fund raisers for the of thoroughbred racing, the horses in the Joey Fund and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. starting gate at Suf- folk Downs began its greatest tradition, the winning circle and the jockeys who ride them, Massachusetts Handicap. It offered big Musical concerts have included The Beatles the more fun it is to visit Suffolk Downs for a folk Downs. Bottom: purse money and attracted some of races big- in 1955, Aerosmith and The Jackson Five in day at the races. -/- Coming into the final gest names, both equine and human. Hall of the ‘70s. Kool and the Gang, a top-of-the- charts R&B group, performed there in August stretch. Fame jockey George Woolf rode Top Row to