Suffolk settles in to summer schedule

Suffolk Downs started its racing season on Preakness day and is now settling in to its summer racing schedule of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday through November 13.Today’s eight-race card is highlighted by an entry level allowance race and the one to beat appears to be Cold Orient trained by Charlie Assimakopoulos and ridden by Orlando Bocachica who won last year’s riding title with 111 wins.Suffolk will also have live racing on Memorial Day. First post is 12:45 p.m.NOTES: Jockey Luis Garcia guided Sure Money to an upset win in Wednesday’s ninth race at Suffolk, returning $258.60 on a $2 wager.Making his first start since July of last year for trainer Odin Londono Jr., the 7-year-old gelded son of Halo’s and Horns made a wide move from off the pace to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over heavy favorite Irish Blast,Sure Money returned $258.60, 53.80 and 30.80.For 13 years, Denise (Boudrot) Hopkins rode the New England thoroughbred racing circuit, winning more than 1,000 races. She earned the nickname “Longshot Lady” and in the fall of 1974, the 22-year-old became the first woman to win a riding title at a major thoroughbred track – Suffolk Downs. Retiring in 1985, she settled down to a simpler and safer life marrying Roland Hopkins, a newspaper publisher who also owned racehorses.In 1972, Denise rode in her first horse race. She was a pioneer for female jockeys, at a time when there were very few of them at the track. Horse trainers were reluctant to employ a female rider. They were considered the weaker sex. But Hopkins proved she could also get to the track before sunrise, put in 18-hour days, and ride nine mounts a day. Plus, she was a winner. Recently the New England Turf Writers Association elected Hopkins to its hall of fame. She is the fifth jockey recognized by the turf writers with this honor, and the only woman.Hopkins died May 19 at her farm in Grafton, Vt. After a long illness.She formerly lived in Duxbury and had a farm in Ocala, Fla.A private ceremony will be held Monday in Vermont.According to Daily Racing Form, Dave in Dixie is expected to run in next Saturday’s Belmont Stakes which is expected to have 11 runners for the grueling 1 1/2 miles. Derby winning rider Calvin Borel has been named to ride Dave in Dixie by trainer John Sadler.Five of the last seven Belmont winners raced at Churchill Downs on the first weekend in May, then had five weeks off coming into the Belmont. It is a strategy trainer Nick Zito used successfully with Birdstone in 2004, and he believes a similar schedule gives Ice Box, who finished second to Super Saver In the Derby, his best chance at success in the Belmont.