Tampa Bay Downs

It’s no secret that Thoroughbred racing has had its share of challenges as the sport transitions deeper into the 21^st Century, yet Tampa Bay Downs, the little track that could, has defied all odds to become one of the industry’s undeniable success stories.

And they did so not because of its popular and Silks Poker Room, its 22-acre golf range and Downs Golf Practice Facility and driving range, or because parents bring the youngsters to see the alligator that calls the track’s infield home. Tampa Bay Downs is successful because it caters to horseplayers.

Racing in the northwestern section of the state in Oldsmar, Hillsborough County, ‘Tampa Downs’ opened its gates in 1926 under the direction of the West Coast Jockey Club, founded by Ohio Harvey Myers and legendary racing executive Colonel Matt Winn.

In the 1940’s, Tampa Downs became Sunshine Park and the decades to follow became the favorite haunt of legendary sportswriters Grantland Rice, Red Smith, Fred Russell, and Arthur Daley who came south to cover baseball’s spring training.

Two decades later the name was changed again, to Florida Downs and Turf Club, until finally, it was given its present designation. The very next year, a fresh-faced 17-year-old apprentice embarked on a vocation that would lead to Hall of Fame glory; Julie Krone broke her career maiden astride a horse called Lord Farkle.

The track began an Arabian horse-racing program in 1983 that lasted two decades, ending the in 2003. In 1986, present owner Stella Thayer bought the track from George Steinbrenner who bred horses at his Kinsman Stud Farm in Florida.

In 1988, the track began to take steps toward the success it enjoys today. It installed a seven-furlong turf course which included a quarter-mile turf chute inside the venue’s one-mile dirt oval.

Tampa Bay races four days a week on Wednesday and Friday through Sunday. Weather permitting, it regularly schedules four turf races per day. The racing office routinely cards eight or nine races on weekdays, more on weekends especially on its Festival and Preview Festival Day programs.

Tampa is home to all class levels but predominantly claiming horses who winter in northern Florida who ship south from New Jersey’s Monmouth Park, New York’s Finger Lakes, and recently from the uppermost regions in the Midwest; Minnesota and Indiana.

Because of the safety of its turf and dirt courses, Tampa’s surfaces are notably free of bias, even when wet, making Tampa a popular destination for young horses.

Due to its relative proximity to Payson Park, Chad Brown, Shug McGaughey, Graham Motion and Bill Mott are frequent visitors, especially with their grass runners. The same goes for Palm Meadows-based runners.

The track gained a great deal of its present stature in 2007 when Street Sense became the first Tampa Bay Derby winner to win the Kentucky Derby; Hall of Famer Carl Nafzger and his colt single-handedly put Tampa on the national radar.

Ian Wilkes remembered his experience as Nafzger’s assistant and used Tampa to prepare his Fort Lerned for an eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic victory. Bill Mott did the same with Drosselmeyer, who later won the Belmont Stakes and Classic.

As usual, Todd Pletcher was a quick study. He prepared his Derby-winning Always Dreaming in an allowance race and prepared another, Super Saver, there, and then won a Belmont Stakes by giving Tapwrit the winter foundation that colt needed.

Mark Casse began Tepin’s Eclipse Award-winning campaign in Northern Florida as did Christophe Clement, another frequent Tampa visitor, who used the Oldsmar track as a winter stop for the turf championship campaign of Gio Ponti.

But it’s the horseplayer who has given Tampa Bay Downs the success it enjoys today. Seven-figure handles have become a daily occurrence Tampa’s Festival Days have attracted over $10-million in handle on more than one occasion.

Two major elements are responsible for this smaller track’s enviable business: A well written condition produces large, competitive fields and lower parimutuel takeout rates has rewarded Tampa’s loyal betting audience.

Wirth the support of the sport’s biggest outfits, Tampa’s popular surfaces have helped to improve its overall product. There are now seven graded stakes to go with 11 listed events. Tampa’s cycle of success doesn’t figure to ebb anytime soon.