No Mass Cap this year

docjocoy · Postby **docjocoy** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:10 am

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ns-in-2009

Thats too bad. The Mass Cap always seemed an interesting race to me.

bdw0617 · Postby **bdw0617** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:27 pm

i fully expect this to say no suffolk downs meet for suffolk downs by 2011.

pokeyman · Postby **pokeyman** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:51 am

We breed and race in MA. It had to be done to save our purses and help the horseman.

The MassCap just sucks so much money away from the local horseman. They already had to cut 6 state-bred stakes races.

Suffolk is at a standstill waiting for September. Vote on slots is this Fall so we all wait with baited breathe....

No slots and Suffolk will close. :evil:

Hotwalker · Postby **Hotwalker** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:08 pm

unfortunate news. The Mass Cap is a race with a rich tradition and it's a fun day, but it's only one day and it's more important to fund the entire meet.

But it's not a good sign and as pokeyman said, some form of expanded gaming needs to come in soon. We all know that unless you are Saratoga or Keeneland, the numbers aren't adding up. The owner has a casino development background, so while he intends to retain racing, the larger goal is a year-round gaming destination.

doublete · Postby **doublete** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:43 pm

The same things have been said since I was there back in 2004?! I started in Suffolk in 01-02, and every year they kept saying that it wouldn't open the next year.

The Mass Cap has been cancelled at least once during my memory too. (I haven't been in racing that long, only 8 years I think).

So I am not surprised.

Sysonby · Postby **Sysonby** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:30 am

doublete wrote:The same things have been said since I was there back in 2004?! I started in Suffolk in 01-02, and every year they kept saying that it wouldn't open the next year.

I used to go to Suffolk and I actually worked at the supermarket across from it when I was a teenager. They were saying the same thing in the 70s. :wink:

It's not a good thing but as pokeyman said it was probably the right decision for all of the horsemen. A track can't survive on its graded stakes program alone. The wealth has to be shared with the small barns as well or there is no racing.