New mom Piermarini regains top riding form

Tammi Piermarini spent the summer balancing her career as a jockey and motherhood, with the scales tilted strongly toward being a mom. Since giving birth to her second child last month, she worked quickly to tip the balance back to her work by riding 10 winners in six racing days at Suffolk Downs, including four on Tuesday's card.

Piermarini, 39, hopped out of the saddle just before the Suffolk season began for maternity leave. She was coming off a successful winter at Tampa Bay Downs, and has had little trouble making up for lost time at Suffolk, where she has been a perennial leader.

"Some of it might be karma and timing and that I'm a new face," said Piermarini. "When I went away everybody was like 'When you coming back,' and 'Can't you have that baby any faster?' My regulars have supported me and I'm fresh and eager. I love to work. I loved the time with my kids, but it was tough to watch those races."

Tammi and her husband, former trainer John Piermarini, welcomed Johnny Vincent on Sept. 15 and mom says older sister Isabella has been great with her new brother. Ever the jockey, Piermarini still isn't used to reporting weights other than her own, but said Johnny was just a hair less than seven pounds. Tammi would also prefer to be the only family member in the riding business.

"My daughter first said she wanted to be a jockey, but my husband showed her some of my spills and it scared her," she said. "Then she wanted to be a barrel racer, then she wanted to be a doctor. I hope I can push her in that direction. Whatever they choose, I'll support them, but I think I would really like to push them toward being doctors or lawyers. Isn't that what all parents want?"

Lily's Goldmine faces males

The filly Lily's Goldmine takes on colts in the $40,000 Norman Hall Stakes for 2-year-old Massachusetts-breds on Saturday, 10 days after taking the Amelia Peabody Stakes for 2-year-old statebred fillies. Her stiffest challenge will likely come from entrymate Disco Fox or first-time starter Sir Billings, a son of New England champ Second Episode out of the top Massachusetts-bred broodmare Nu Wimborne.

Also Saturday, former New England champ Stylish Sultan goes for one last hurrah in the $40,000 Massachusetts Stallion Stakes - a race restricted to horses sired by registered Mass-breds.

The winner of the 2001 Norman Hall, Stylish Sultan dominated the statebred ranks for three years, but exits a $4,000 claiming win. Two of his rivals, Riding the Edge and Episode on Tour, both have more recent success at higher levels.

Stiff suspension for Duys

Dodie Duys was handed the harshest punishment Suffolk stewards can impose when she was suspended the remainder of the meet plus 10 days for her ride on Brenna in last Saturday's first race.

The stewards ruled Duys rode "extremely dangerously with a total disregard for herself or her fellow riders" while turning for home in the $5,000 claimer when, according to the stewards, she put Yamil Rosario and Shark on the Prowl in tight, nearly sending him over the rail. Duys has appealed, but did not receive a stay.

Announcer writing book

Suffolk's track announcer, T.D. Thornton, will release a behind-the-scenes look at life on the racetrack with his book "Not by a Long Shot: A Season at a Hard-Luck Horse Track" (PublicAffairs Books) on shelves next spring.

In addition to calling the races for most of the season, Thornton is a former turf writer and handicapper and is the son of trainer Paul Thornton.