Fans Fill Suffolk Downs For Limited Races
BOSTON (CBS) -- At Suffolk Downs in East Boston, the popularity of horse racing is as strong as the Thoroughbreds racing to the finish.
"It's a total thrill, it's in your blood and to see the fans smile and to be around the horses, it's just tremendous," jockey David Amiss said.
"It's neat I was here yesterday as well. It's great to see families come out and there is still a lot of excitement in it," fan Todd Symonds said.
Suffolk Downs shuttered back in 2014. Management said they were losing too much money and the casino license they needed to save the business went to the city of Everett. Now the races are back on a limited basis and enthusiasm never left.
"We are running four weekends. This is the third of the fourth. We have racing, and we have food trucks, we have some family fun events, it's nice to be to continue," Suffolk Downs COO Chip Tuttle said.
Eight thousand people filled the stands Saturday and even on a rainy Sunday, fans like Gary Collum did not stay away from the track.
"Just the entertainment of it, the end and the finish and then the adrenaline kick when you have a ticket that's a winner," Collum said.
"It's extremely important, I mean this is my home," Amiss said.
Suffolk Downs will be back on Sept 30th through Oct 1st for the last race of the year.
"We make an effort to come here because we want to revive racing in New England. It's a shame it went but we want to have it back," Amiss said.
