Trainer Discovers Seabiscuit at Suffolk Downs
On this day in 1936, Tom Smith, an experienced horse trainer, spied an unlikely looking three-year-old Thoroughbred on the track at East Boston's Suffolk Downs. The two exchanged knowing nods. One year later, Smith returned to Suffolk Downs as the horse's trainer; this time, the awkward looking Seabiscuit electrified the crowd and won the Massachusetts Handicap. At the time, Suffolk Downs was not even as old as Seabiscuit. Massachusetts had only legalized betting on horse races in 1935, as the state looked for ways to raise revenue in the midst of the Great Depression. The track opened a mere two months after the gambling law was passed. In 2014, Suffolk Downs was sold, ending regular Thoroughbred racing at the site in favor hosting races during a specified number of weekends. Live racing ended in June 2019.
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