Tampa Bay Downs is an American

Thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...

facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, just outside

Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs, and has also been known as Sunshine Park and Florida Downs and Turf Club.

Season

The track races most Wednesdays, Fridays, and weekends from the end of November to the beginning of May.

Physical attributes

The main track is a one-mile (1.6 km) dirt oval. The

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

course is seven furlongs and includes a quarter-mile inner chute. It is regarded as one of the best turf courses in the country. Tampa Bay Downs, the only Thoroughbred race track on the west coast of Florida, has live racing action, simulcasting, poker, as well as golf at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.

History

West_Coast_Jockey_Club_Racing_Book_Cover_April_2_1926

Tampa Bay Downs first opened its doors in 1926 under the name of Tampa Downs as the racetrack of the West Coast Jockey Club, and has since amassed a long and colorful history. The founding operation was headed by

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

investor Harvey Myers and

Kentucky Colonel Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the US state of Kentucky. It is the most well-known colonelcy in the United States. A Kentucky Colonel Commission (the certificate) is awarded in the name of the Commonwealth by the go ...

Matt J. Winn. In 1943, the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

took over the track for use as a training facility. In 1946, the track was renamed Sunshine Park, and entered the modern era with the installation of an electric starting gate, photo finish and electric tote board. During the 1950s, the racecourse was a popular attraction with many sportswriters who came to the Tampa Bay area to cover baseball spring training. Legendary names like

Grantland Rice Henry Grantland Rice (November 1, 1880 – July 13, 1954) was an American sportswriter and poet known as the "Dean of American Sports Writers". He coined the famous phrase that it was not important whether you “won or lost, but how you playe ...

, Red Smith,

Fred Russell Fred Russell (August 27, 1906 – January 26, 2003) was an American sportswriter from Tennessee who served as sports editor for the ''Nashville Banner'' newspaper for 68 years (1930–1998). He was a member of the Heisman Trophy Committee, presi ...

and Arthur Daley became regular visitors, calling the track the "Santa Anita of the South." The year 1965 marked the third name change for the track when it became Florida Downs and Turf Club. The track was renamed Tampa Bay Downs in 1980. On February 12, 1981,

Julie Krone Julieann Louise Krone (born July 24, 1963) is a retired American jockey. In 1993, she became the first (and as of June 8, 2024 only) female jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she captured the Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair. In 2000, ...

, then a 17-year-old apprentice jockey and now a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame member, got her first career victory here on Lord Farkle. In 1983 the track began running periodic

Arabian horse The Arabian or Arab horse ( , DIN 31635, DMG ''al-ḥiṣān al-ʿarabī'') is a horse breed, breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easi ...

races. The Arabian-bred program ended in 2003. The present owners,

Stella F. Thayer Stella F. Thayer (born December 27, 1940, in Tampa, Florida) is a vice-chair and former president of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Biography Thayer, president of Tampa Bay Downs, succeeded John T. von Stade, becoming the museum's ...

and her brother Howell Ferguson, purchased the track in its entirety at auction in 1986. They had previously co-owned the track with

George Steinbrenner George Michael Steinbrenner III (July 4, 1930July 13, 2010) was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010. He was the longest-serving own ...

, but a legal dispute between the two sides forced the auction.

In 1998 Tampa Bay Downs added its 7/8-mile grass track, complete with a quarter-mile chute, which has become one of the most popular turf courses in North America. The course was completed in the spring of 1998 and the first race was contested on

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

Day, May 2, 1998. This new avenue has provided more opportunities for horsemen and patrons alike. Other renovations include a golf range and short-game area called The Downs Golf Practice Facility, including a driving range and betting machines. When Tampa Bay Downs concluded its 81st season on May 6, 2007, the track had established new records in handle, attendance and purses paid, including an all-time attendance mark of 11,014 on Kentucky Derby Day, May 5, 2007, which featured Tampa Bay Derby winner Street Sense becoming the first graduate of the Tampa Bay Derby to win the Kentucky Derby. A new single-day attendance record of 12,746 was established March 15, 2008 on Festival Day, featuring the Tampa Bay Derby. Tampa Bay Derby Day 2007 also marked the

Oldsmar Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 14,898. The Oldsmar name dates to April 12, 1916, when automobile pioneer Ransom E. Olds purchased of land north of Tampa Bay to es ...

oval's highest-ever handle, with $10,916,634 wagered on the Tampa Bay Downs signal on that day; a new mark of $10,949,948 was set March 12, 2011. Street Sense and

Any Given Saturday Any Given Saturday (foaled January 29, 2004 in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Background From the mare Weekend in Indy, a daughter of the 1992 U.S. Horse of the Year and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee A. ...

were two of the notable horses that competed over the Tampa Bay Downs surface in the 2006-2007 racing season, with Street Sense defeating his rival by a nose in the Tampa Bay Derby. More recently, 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Eclipse Award turf champion Gio Ponti, Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer, Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned, Eclipse Award winner Tepin, Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Belmont winner Tapwrit have raced at Tampa Bay Downs. The Silks Poker Room opened on December 13, 2003. Tampa Bay Downs has 28 stakes scheduled for the 2018-2019 meeting, including six that are graded. The Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, contested March 9 for a $400,000 purse, is a Grade III race for 3-year-olds. The $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-olds, a Grade III event, is Feb. 9. Other graded races are scheduled on the turf: the Grade II, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for older fillies and mares; the Grade III, $200,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies; the Grade III, $175,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes for older fillies and mares; and the Grade III, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes for horses 4-years-old and upward. Before the 2007-2008 race meet began, Tampa Bay Downs underwent several renovations, including the installation of the Grandstand elevator; the all-new Silks Poker Room, located on the third floor of the Grandstand; and the Party Suite, adjacent to the Silks Poker Room, which was also updated with new flat-screen TVs installed. The Legends Bar, which includes a museum-quality exhibition of famed Thoroughbred

Seabiscuit Seabiscuit (May 23, 1933 – May 17, 1947) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse in the United States who became the top money-winning racehorse up to the 1940s. He beat the 1937 Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, by four lengths in a two-hors ...

, became the newest feature of the Legends Bar on the second floor of the Grandstand. Horsemen enjoyed improvements to the Paddock area, with all-new stalls in the saddling barn ensuring the safety and comfort of horses and their connections. Other facility upgrades at the Oldsmar oval include a refurbished Racing Office on the backstretch, as well as a renovated track kitchen. Average daily wagering handle during the 2010–11, 90-day meeting was a record $4,572,074, an increase of 9.2 percent from the previous season. The average field size of 9.11 horses per race was among the highest in the country and was aided by an increase in the number of turf races, from 205 to 243. Average daily attendance was 3,195. The 31st running of the Tampa Bay Derby on March 12 attracted a record all-source wagering handle of $10,949,948, which included $876,063 wagered on track. In 2022 Tampa Bay Downs continued to have a successful race meet and averaged $488,998 in handle per race. In 2023 Florida Gov.

Ron DeSantis Ronald Dion DeSantis (; born September 14, 1978) is an American politician, attorney, and former United States Navy, naval officer serving as the 46th List of governors of Florida, governor of Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Pa ...

signed a bill raising purses for Florida Bred horses at Tampa Bay Downs and

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...

. Prior to the 2011–2012 meeting, Tampa Bay Downs began a green initiative to eventually result in a net-zero impact on the environment. Other improvements included a CREE LED lighting system in the clubhouse and grandstand and the installation of a Gaco Sil S-20 Cool Roof coating system. The 2024 edition of the

Tampa Bay Derby The Tampa Bay Derby is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – fla ...

was run for purse money only with no betting after problems from telecommunications supplier

Lumen Technologies Lumen Technologies, Inc. (formerly CenturyLink, Inc.) is an American telecommunications company headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana, which offers communications, network services, security, cloud solutions, voice and managed services through ...

affected tote provider

AmTote The American Totalisator Company, now known as AmTote International and commonly referred to as AmTote, specializes in totalisator equipment used to manage and control parimutuel betting at horse racing, greyhound racing, and jai-alai facilities ...

, leaving Tampa Bay Downs and several other tracks around the country unable to process wagers.

Racing

In 2007, Hall of Fame trainer

Carl Nafzger Carl A. Nafzger (born August 29, 1941) is an American Hall of Fame horse trainer. Before he was involved in horse racing, he was a champion rodeo bull rider. Nafzger trained Unbridled, who won the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. In ...

brought his 3-year-old Street Sense to Oldsmar for the Tampa Bay Derby, and the colt's victory was a springboard to his win in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Another Hall of Fame trainer, William Mott, selected Tampa Bay Downs for the first 2011 starts for his 3-year-old filly Royal Delta and 4-year-old colt Drosselmeyer. Royal Delta went on to twice win the

Breeders' Cup Distaff The Breeders' Cup Distaff is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic between 2008 and 2012, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United Stat ...

and Drosselmeyer won the

Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Champion ...

. The track's annual showcase is Festival Day. The centerpiece is the Grade III, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby for 3-year-olds at a mile-and-a-sixteenth. Also on the card are the Grade II, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for older fillies and mares at a mile-and-an-eighth on the turf; the Grade III, $200,000 Florida Oaks, for 3-year-old fillies at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf, the $100,000 Challenger Stakes; and the $75,000 Columbia Stakes, creating a $1-million bonanza in stakes purses.

Stakes races

As well as numerous non-graded stakes races, the track holds two Grade IIs and five Grade III stakes races. ;Grade II: *

Hillsborough Stakes The Hillsborough Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older, over a distance of miles on turf, held annually in March at Tampa Bay Downs racetrack in Oldsmar, Florida. The purse is ...

;Grade III: * Challenger Stakes *

Endeavour Stakes The Endeavour Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older, over a distance of miles on turf, held annually in February at Tampa Bay Downs racetrack in Oldsmar, Florida. History ...

Florida Oaks The Florida Oaks is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over the distance of miles on the turf scheduled annually in mid-March at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $200 ...

* Tampa Bay Stakes ;Listed races:

References

External links

Official site
{{HCFPEI Tourist attractions in Hillsborough County, Florida Horse racing venues in Florida Casinos in Florida Sports venues in Tampa, Florida Buildings and structures in Hillsborough County, Florida 1926 establishments in Florida Sports venues completed in 1926