Business down sharply at Suffolk Downs

Average daily handle for the eight days of racing conducted at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Mass., this year fell 21.2 percent when compared with the same figure for the eight days of racing last year, according to figures supplied by the track.

Average daily handle was $686,303 this year, according to the figures, compared with $870,949 last year. Suffolk Downs conducted racing on four weekends the prior two years in conjunction with food-truck festivals. Average attendance this year was 6,543, up 1.5 percent compared with average attendance of 6,449 last year. The meet had its final live race day on Sunday.

In a release, the track said that it planned to apply for racing dates again in 2019. Although the track announced it would close after being passed over for a casino license in 2014, the owners of the track have continued to offer year-round simulcasting at a facility on the property and have continued to run brief meets at the track while development plans for the site are firmed up.

The track’s property is being offered as a potential second headquarters for Amazon, the online retail giant that has pitted cities against each other in a bidding war for the headquarters site.

During the eight live racing days, trainer Jay Bernardini won 10 races from 52 starters, taking the trainer’s title. Jockey Erik Barbaran won the rider’s title with nine victories.

Using money built up from simulcasting and subsidies from the state’s Racehorse Development Fund, Suffolk offered $4 million in purses over the eight days, or $500,000 a day.