Tampa Bay Downs InThe Community

Each season Tampa Bay Downs holds five Charity Days during its meet, with proceeds earmarked for charitable organizations that qualify under Florida law to receive such contributions. The recipients are in both the Tampa Bay community and the Thoroughbred industry. Over the past 15 seasons, more than $1-million has been raised for these organizations through Charity Days at Tampa Bay Downs and the Tampa Greyhound Track Poker and Racebook. A sampling of the charities that have received direct aid from Tampa Bay Downs include Rotary’s Camp Florida in Brandon, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Upper Tampa Bay Education Foundation, Florida Thoroughbred Charities, Oldsmar Cares, Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc. (TROT) and the Sulphur Springs Pool in Tampa.

In addition, Tampa Bay Downs directly contributes more than $31 million into the community each year, while providing more than 500 employment positions during the live racing season.

In the summer months, Tampa Bay Downs continues to support the community by offering job opportunities to more than 100 individuals. The track’s annual payroll exceeds $7.1 million.

History

1926 - The track opens for its inaugural meeting under the name of Tampa Downs. The season lasts 39 days and is headed by Ohio investor Harvey Myers and Kentucky Colonel Matt J. Winn, famed promoter of the Kentucky Derby. Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Gene Sarazen and John Ringling help inaugurate the opening on Feb. 18. Torcher wins the $4,450 “Florida Derby,” which is actually a precursor to the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park.

1927- Tampa Downs reopens, but is forced to close after nine days of a scheduled 37-day meeting due to economic reasons.

1932 - Lexington (Ky.) Herald editor-publisher Desha Breckinridge and Major Thomas McDowell of Lexington oversee repairs and restoration of the facility, but conflicts cause the cancellation of the meeting.

1934 - The Tampa Turf and Field Club is formed, headed by Hal Thompson. The track reopens as Tampa Downs. Inadequate handles during the heart of the Great Depression force the meeting to close after only six days.

1943 - As World War II rages on, the U.S. Army constructs barracks and turns the track into a jungle warfare training center.

1946 - Sunshine Park Racing Association is formed and provides 650 stalls. A 1947 season is approved by referendum. New Yorker Justin O’Connor buys the track but dies just two days before opening.

1947 - Frank Hobbs buys the track from the O’Connor family. The modern era begins as Sunshine Park runs its inaugural meeting. The first official tote board is in operation, an electric starting gate is introduced and a photo finish camera is installed.

1948 - A horsemen’s boycott is averted by increasing the daily purse distribution by $500. Following the 1948 meeting, the Florida Racing Commission denies a request from Sunshine Park’s management to run at night.

1950 - Legendary sportswriters including Grantland Rice, Red Smith, Fred Russell and Arthur Daley are regulars at the track as they travel south to cover baseball spring training games. Rice coins the phase “Santa Anita of the South” in his columns to describe the racetrack. John W. Kane of Wilmington, Del., wins control of the track following a stockholders’ squabble. A Quarter Horse meet runs for three weeks in February.

1951 - A record crowd of 6,060 greets the return of Thoroughbred competition on Opening Day.

1953 - A dozen barns burn but are quickly replaced. The Florida Legislature passes a special bill allowing the track to keep 15% of the takeout and to pay a $4,000 daily fee instead. The track begins to show a profit for the first time and new Clubhouse construction begins at a cost of $300,000.

1954 - The new Clubhouse opens. Four new 50-stall concrete barns are constructed to meet demand from horsemen, increasing stable capacity to 900 horses. The track surface is rebuilt, improving drainage and drawing raves from trainers and jockeys.

1955 - Control of the track is passed to a syndicate headed by Frederick Ballon, director of Yonkers Raceway; Richard West of Rhode Island; and Frank Hobbs, a Tampa attorney.

History

1956 - A $1,000 minimum purse is instituted as the track celebrates its 10th season since reopening as Sunshine Park. All 900 stalls on the back side are occupied.

1957 - President Frank Hobbs creates the Florida Breeders’ Futurity and is voted Florida’s Man of the Year. Champion filly Indian Maid wins the first Futurity.

1958 - Benell captures the second running of the Florida Breeders’ Futurity.

1959 - Top owners Sanford Stud, Llangolen Farm, Gene Mori and Fred Hooper send strings to race at Sunshine Park.

1964 - A syndicated TV show called “Let’s Go to the Races” debuts in numerous major markets, using already-run races from Sunshine Park to award prizes and money to game-card holders. Track restaurants are restyled and redecorated, and an informal fashion show produced by Priscilla Parker is held each Thursday before the first race.

1965 - The franchise is acquired by a group of Tampa sportsmen headed by Chester Ferguson.

1966 - The track is renamed Florida Downs and Turf Club. Purses total $566,060. The track hosts its first sale of Thoroughbreds.

1968 - The double quinella wager is introduced, requiring bettors to pick the first two finishers in either order in the last two races. In September of 1968, a spectacular fire destroys the Grandstand facility, sparing only the Clubhouse building.

1969 - A new $800,000 Grandstand with the capacity for 6,000 people replaces the one ravaged by fire. The new building debuts with the season opener on January 17.

1972 - Tampa industrialist Sam F. Davis takes the reins of Florida Downs. The minimum purse is raised to $1,500 in an effort to lure higher-class horses from Northern tracks. The track goes into the black and season handle totals a record $11 million.

1973 - Eastern Airlines supports a series of races.

1974 - Season attendance surpasses 400,000 for the first time.

1976 - A Quarter Horse meeting is curtailed after losses of almost $500,000.

1977 - Trainer E.T. Clark wins with nine consecutive starters. After his next entrant finishes third, his next two starters win.

1978 - The Florida Senate squashes a proposal to convert summer Quarter Horse racing dates to Greyhound racing.

1979 - An average attendance record of 4,414 is established.

1980 - Total handle reaches $29 million. Sam F. Davis retires as President at age 73. In a switch of corporations, the track is renamed Tampa Bay Downs. On March 15, Richard DePass becomes the first jockey in history to go 7-for-7 on a single card.

1981 - Paristo wins the inaugural running of the $50,000-added Budweiser Tampa Bay Derby. He would go on to finish third in the Preakness. Apprentice jockey Julie Krone earns her first career victory aboard Lord Farkle on Feb. 12 for trainer Les St. Leon, and subsequently becomes the most successful female jockey in history with 3,704 victories and a member of the sport’s Hall of Fame.

1982 - The second Budweiser Tampa Bay Derby is won by Reinvested, a Florida-bred owned by Harbor View Farm who goes on to finish third in the Kentucky Derby and to win the Grade II Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

1983 - Arabian-bred racing is introduced, making Tampa Bay Downs the first track to hold a regular program for the breed. Morganmorganmorgan wins the Budweiser Tampa Bay Derby.

1984 - The track adds a seven-furlong chute. In a huge upset, 88-1 shot Bold Southerner edges Rexson’s Hope in the Tampa Bay Derby under jockey Wayne Crews.

1985 - Regal Remark wins the Tampa Bay Derby for owner Ernie Samuel's Canadian-based Sam-Son Farm, winner of 10 Sovereign Awards as Canada's Outstanding Breeder and 12 Sovereign Awards as Canada's Outstanding Owner. Richard Grunder joins Tampa Bay Downs as track announcer. Mary Hodge wins the training title by sending out 23 winners.

1986 - A new dirt track is installed prior to the start of the 1985-1986 meeting at a cost of $250,000. The old base and cushion are replaced and the track is crowned and banked to provide better drainage and give horses a safer racing surface. Bob Clark is named Racing Secretary, replacing Warren Wolf. Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack, who rode here briefly as an apprentice when the track was known as Sunshine Park, is named as a steward. My Prince Charming, owned by the Aronow Stable operation of speedboat racer Don Aronow, wins the Tampa Bay Derby.

1987 - Stella F. Thayer and her brother, Howell Ferguson, take full control of Tampa Bay Downs with a $16.2-million bid at auction a month before the start of the meeting. Tampa Bay Downs controller Lorraine M. King is named General Manager, completing what is believed to be the first instance of a wagering facility with separate female ownership and management. Mike Manganello, who won the 1970 Kentucky Derby on Dust Commander and won six Tampa Bay Downs jockey titles, rides career winner No. 2,500 on Siberian Gold. The first Sunday card in the history of Tampa Bay Downs is conducted on Dec. 7, 1986, drawing a crowd of 5,893. Ronnie Allen, Jr., wins the second of his four track riding crowns with 76 victories. Phantom Jet, trained by Phil Gleaves, becomes the first horse to win the Sam F. Davis Stakes and the Tampa Bay Derby.