Hall of Fame jockeys set to visit Suffolk Wednesday

EAST BOSTON -Collectively, they won more than 25,000 races, amassed more than $700 million in purse earnings, captured 23 Breeders’ Cup and 16 Triple Crown races and won 12 Eclipse Awards. They ran 1-2-3 in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1984. They all rank among the top 10 jockeys of all time.And they will be at Suffolk Downs Wednesday.Pat Day, Laffit Pincay Jr. and Angel Cordero will be at the track from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. to kick off an 11-city Breeders’ Cup Legends Tour that culminates with a Legends race on Oct. 18 at Santa Anita, the site of the 25th renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Oct. 24-25.Suffolk Downs fans will have a chance to meet the jockeys, get autographs and participate in a Q&A with them.”I think it’s going to be a great time,” Day said by telephone Monday. “I always enjoyed meeting the fans.”Day, who won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Classic aboard Wild again – followed by Cordero on Slew of Gold and Pincay on Gate Dancer – said when the Breeders’ Cup started, with seven races worth a total of $10 million on one day, he thought that was optimistic. He could never have imagined it would grow to the current format of 14 races over two days, worth more than $25 million.”All the races are the best of the best,” said Day, who won 12 Breeders’ Cup races and nine Triple Crown races among his 8,804 trips to the winner’s circle. “It’s two days of unbelievable racing,”Day, who said he rode at Suffolk Downs briefly in 1974, said the Wild Again victory was “singularly responsible for catapulting my career to the next level.” A devout born-again Christian, he has been involved with the Race Track Chaplaincy of America since 1984, even more so since he retired in 2005. He proudly noted there are currently 77 chaplains at 117 racetracks and training centers in North America.As for the potential Big Brown vs. Curlin dream matchup in this year’s Classic, Day said he will take Curlin. “If I were in a position to choose, I would absolutely choose Curlin,” he said.First post Wednesday is 12:45 p.m.